West New Guinea Dispute: Indonesia vs Netherlands - Cold War DOCUMENTARY

Our historical documentary series on the history of the Cold War continues with a video on the West New Guinea Dispute that pitted Indonesia against the Netherlands.

#ColdWar #Konfrontasi #Indonesia

[parmentier]

I am third generation mix-Indonesian. After Indonesian independence, my grandparents had to move from Bandung (Java) to Manokwari (Dutch Papua New Guinea). When they arrived in Papua there was nothing, the Dutch government still had to build houses for the Dutch-Indonesian community. My grandmother told a story about when Papuans with spears were watching in the bushes. My father then still a child quickly ran inside with his brothers and sisters.

My grandmother was not afraid and ran outside and walked to the papuas in the bushes. The first thing my grandmother asked, teach me to find food in the jungle because there are no shops here. The Papuans led my grandmother and other mothers through the jungle and pointed out what was and what was not to eat. So my grandmother cooked with ingredients from the jungle, in return my grandmother made clothes for them and they became good friends.

My father told me how he had to leave New Guinea for the Netherlands. They had just boarded the ship, and not a moment later dozens of boats with Javanese moored on the coast. The Papaus waved goodbye to my family and went back to the jungle.

[manuelacosta]

Nice of you to cover this relatively obscure subject. New Guinea is usually only known for the brutal, grinding and malaria infested campaign of WW2.

[glenngilbert]

Most insightful coverage of an issue that isn't spoken about very much.

[javaansejongens]

Fun facts: After the Dutch administration ended, the region changed its name to West Irian. Irian stands for Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti-Netherland (in bahasa) or Join the Republic of Indonesia Anti-Netherland. - Frans Kaisepo (Papuan politician & Indonesian nationalist)

[alphamikeomega]

The Indonesians learned well from the Dutch...

[wenderis]

Again a complicated topic delivered with enough context and nuances for the general audiences. Kudos
Just a couple of notes:
5:03 it wasn't that straightforward. Hatta, for example, didn't agree with Soekarno and others on the matter of Papua. To paraphrase, 'Papua has the right for self-determination and its own independence. If we continue this, why not Solomon or even the whole pacific islands'. There were also other objections from different parties with different narratives.
6:12 the neighbouring Biak Island (and Serui) was and still considered by Papuan themselves or other Indonesian to be part of the Papuan-sphere. A rather curious trivia: historically, it was some educated individuals from this island who supported the republic then also the 'transfer' of Papua, but then also the 1st organize freedom movement. It was in the port of this island the Biak massacre happened.

[Mondo]

As a young engineer in the US Merchant Marine, I first set foot in Indonesia in 1975. It was easy to see the country was under the rule of a dictator and I needed to watch my step.

[efanferdiantowibowo]

I like how the dutch swithed from "this colony land belong to us and us only" to play moral highground of free choice in few years.

[nanomachin]

Soekarno is that really ambitious guy who switched from one side to another just to get what he wanted. First he sided with the Japanese during pre-independence, then the US during the independence war, then USSR during Papua, and lastly China during Konfrontasi. In the end though, he couldn't get Malaya and also lost everything to Soeharto, but still, he had amassed a lot of territories which would later became what it is now of the Republic.
I may be the minority here but i have a high respect for him for having high ambitions along with the skills and charisma to back them.

[gustisatriaputra]

the copper has been discovered since 1939 by dutch geologist, this is the main fuel of the dispute. One of the largest copper and gold deposit on earth with abundance of water for mining activity.

[KagetTadashi]

Papua, also known as Irian back then, was a headache.
At one side, they wanted to unify with Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes, Nusa Tenggara, and Maluku as Indonesia, hence it's name, IRIAN which stood for "Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti Nederland" if I weren't miss the spelling, propelled by the Japanese occupation from 1942 up until 1945.
But, at the another side, some of our national builders especially Mr. Moh. Hatta were against the Papuans become a part of Indonesia despite the IRIAN word stoods. This was, an argument which Mr. Moh. Hatta said that there will be a chance for racism because the skin color and the behaviour differences (because Papuans back then are known for a resemblance of Africa)
And so, when the Netherlands acknowledge our sovereignity in December 1949, which had an exception of West Irian being the part of Indonesia as late as maybe 1955 or something if I remember the history book I think, IRIAN is one of the main thing that Sukarno wants to take from Netherland despite the economy is still in the bottom of the ravine at that time.
When the day that Netherland promises give the West Irian to Indonesia, they said, "We won't do that. The people of West Irian is with us. They support us as hell." Then, Sukarno come to USA but failed and then come to SSSR which Mr. Nikita Segeyevich Krushchev agreed to help we gained West Irian from Netherland. After that, Netherland didn't want to give the West Irian to us despite our attack and threat to them, and then, the USA under John F. Kennedy force Netherland to give it to us or the Marshall Plan would be cut of. So, symbolically, Netherland finally give West Irian to Indonesia.
But, Western Powers are Western Powers. They factually didn't want a nation that independence by itself (when I types, "itself" means there is a promise but failed to be done, in this case by Japanese, so we have to erect our nation by ourself) go rapidly against Western domination in the so-called heavens mini garden, the South East Asia.
And the rest is history...
CMIIW

[nolimitcityid]

I'm glad you put Pasundan on there, you really know everything

[tng]

A classic case of international bullying winning the day.
The same thing has repeated quite a few times since.

[fajarriyadi]

Since your piece documentary is on cold war, between US vs. USSR. You have missed the important part of the event. Who won and benefited from it? On your closing, you summarized that Indonesia was the winner and later on became the villain. Indonesia was just another victim of the cold war. It’s clear that the US won the stand off and had the most gained from the situation. They managed to run off the communist influence and had placed Freeport to suck out all the Gold and Copper in the following 50 years after. Not to mentioned in that 50 years, they turn blind eye on the mistreatments and failed to educate and improve the lives of the locals. Despite the immense wealth they have taken from their land/earth.

[bryansmulez]

Today's PAPUA Indonesia has 5x bigger its GDP than New Guinea.

[bigguy]

Indonesian first goal isn't an economic one, Papua was instead important because they attend the youth pledge(basically a unity pledge for an independent Indonesia) so it must be incorporated for it simbolysm + Papuans integration would be a win for the secularist

because Papuans as you know are not Muslims and at that time when political islam we're a significant enough force(with US help ofc) that no new constitution can be approved without it being a sharia compliant one... Every support count

[yosuasiregar]

In my opinion, Indonesia wanted West New Guinea to become their part because the president at that time feared that if the Netherlands stayed there for too long, it could be perfect bases for American presence to patrol the Indonesian waters, since at that time Indonesia tended to side with communist countries. Americans had been trying to depose the president for various occasions because of his bold stances against imperialism, so letting American and Dutch forces in West New Guinea threatened Indonesia's position since UK was also present in Malaya, Singapore and Borneo.

[waltertaljaard]

The then Dutch minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Luns was FURIOUS with the Kennedy administration, Especially with Robert Kennedy. As a sort of reconcilliation, for what Washington also knew fine well to be a grave misjustice, Luns was later appointed secretary general of NATO.

[cstuff]

From the memoires of Prince Bernhard and Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, it becomes pretty evident the Netherlands did at least have some involvement in the uprising on the Maluku islands.

[i.setyawan]

The word Tidore should have been pronounced somewhat like 'tee-dough-ray'.