Why does Indonesia Own Half of New Guinea?

♦Why Does Indonesia Own Half of New Guinea?

♦Consider supporting our work and Join this channel to get access to perks:

♦Consider supporting us on Patreon :
♦Music by Epidemic Sound

Big Thank you to:
Николай Димитров, Tobias Tron, Mahmoud Shahin, Justin Bourke, Augustus Caesar, Chaim laser
Joshua Kerr, Slayer, John McKeon ,Michael Morale,Rory,Smithy3371,The Angry Celt, Paula Collins-Cook, Jonathon Dwigans

[isaacgriffin]

I work with seniors. I had a Dutch client who had spent all of WW2 as forced labor in German factories. When the war was over and he went home, he got conscription papers to be sent to fight in Indonesia. He said he didn't survive a war to go and do the same thing to someone else. So he joinsd the merchant marines and fled to Canada.

[SonyThamrin]

You did not mention why the US endorsed the New York Agreement in 1962. And the US asked the Netherlands to hand over West Papua to Indonesia.

In fact, the US obtained a gold and copper mining concession in the Grasberg Mountains in West Papua through the company Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. And on April 7, 1967, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) was established and began mining gold and copper in Tembagapura, West Papua until today.

But in 2018, Indonesia struggled to buy 51.2% of PTFI shares. And in the future Indonesia will buy back PTFI shares up to 61%.

So the conclusion: all of this is about gold and copper mining in West Papua.

[gerrygiovan]

You didn't include what's in the agreement for Dutch to relinquish claim on Papua. I think the Dutch demand that Indonesia pay Dutch's national debt

[ferryanjarwibowo]

USA said that nato wont backup, since usa had a natural resources interest. Since indonesia inline with usa interest, usa give the way. If it were not, Indonesia would have been definitely crushed just like what they did to Iraq, etc. And when President Soekarno put a little disagreement, USA set an operation there, thats when President Soeharto came in office, and give USA the gold.

That, unfortunately, still happen as of today. Conflict management. Still so many resources in Papua.

[kalvon]

The sad reality is that, after decades of separate histories, West and East Papuans have become so different from each other that reunification as one nation is highly unlikely.

West Papuans have primarily been advocating for independence from Indonesia, rather than for reunification with East Papua (Papua New Guinea).

Going slightly off-topic, here’s my perspective on the Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka, or OPM):

I don’t think Papua would be better off with full autonomy or complete independence. For now, they are likely better off as part of Indonesia. Papua currently lacks the infrastructure and economic capacity to sustain its own people effectively. Despite having abundant natural resources, Papua doesn’t have the capital or technical expertise to exploit these resources efficiently, rendering them largely untapped for the foreseeable future.

If the push for independence is driven by nationalism, I still believe it’s not the best approach. Independence might lead to greater challenges, such as economic instability, lack of governance, and vulnerability to external influence or exploitation by foreign powers.

Moreover, Indonesia, as a larger and more developed nation, provides significant financial and logistical support to Papua, even though many argue it could do more to address development and inequality in the region. Until Papua has stronger infrastructure, governance, and financial independence, breaking away might do more harm than good.

Lastly, this argument ignores the genuine grievances of Papuans today. Issues like systemic inequality, lack of representation, and exploitation of Papua’s natural resources by Indonesia are central to their calls for independence. Simply pointing to a tenuous historical link doesn’t address the present realities of marginalization and underdevelopment that Papuans face.

If Indonesia truly wants to integrate Papua, it must earn the trust and consent of its people through equitable development, respect for their rights, and genuine dialogue—not by relying on dubious historical claims.

And to those in the comments saying, “Oh, Papua is part of Indonesia and was once part of the Sultanate of Tidore long before the Dutch arrived, ” here’s why I think that argument doesn’t really work.

First, the Sultanate of Tidore didn’t really control Papua in the way people think. The Papuans weren’t ruled directly by the Sultanate or part of its system. It was more of a loose relationship where some groups paid tribute, but most Papuans probably had no idea the Sultanate even claimed them. Using this as a reason for Papua being part of Indonesia today doesn’t make much sense because things back then were very different from how countries work now.

Second, Indonesia itself is a country that was shaped by colonial rule. The Dutch were the ones who brought all these islands together under one system. Papua, with its own unique cultures, languages, and people, was added to Indonesia after independence, not because of shared history but because of those colonial borders. If we’re using history as a reason, we could say Indonesia should still be ruled by the Dutch because they were the ones who unified it. Obviously, that’s a ridiculous argument, but it shows how weak the historical connection idea is.

By that same logic, we could argue that England should still rule parts of France, like Normandy and Aquitaine, because they controlled those areas hundreds of years ago. Of course, nobody would take that seriously today. Just because something happened a long time ago doesn’t mean it’s relevant to the way things should work now.

Lastly, this kind of thinking ignores the problems Papuans face today. They’re dealing with unfair treatment, lack of opportunities, and their resources being used by others without much benefit for them. Pointing to history doesn’t fix these problems or explain why Papua should stay part of Indonesia.

If Indonesia really wants to keep Papua, it needs to do more to help its people, treat them fairly, and listen to what they want—not just rely on arguments about history that don’t really hold up.

[leviriandiahsanitaqwim]

You forgot to mention Frans Kaisiepo, a Papuan who advocating for integration into Indonesia, wrong year of independence but instead the year of recognition, Soviet aids that freaked out the Dutch, etc.

[YudhistiraRajajaya]

Nah, you skipped the part where:
1. Papuan gold were 'bought unfairly' (since using word 'steal' might offend people) for 4 decades by U.S. company Freeport.
2. Australia loves to advocate free Papua, when we know they do that for also Papuan gold. And we know who Australia sides with. They do this also with giving 'scholarships' to Papuans (since using 'freedom from Indonesia indoctrination' might offend people).
3. OPM movement act with modern guns. How in the world they had funds and skills to buy arms and train soldiers if they are jungle dwellers? Oh right, they don't have to, someone else might donate those to them.

[omgraggy]

The voice sounds really off is he using ai again?

[黒田たかし-nf]

I'm sure the comment section isn't going to be filled with people advocating for the balkanization of Indonesia....

[johnsimonwijaya]

FUNFACT :West Papuan people today speak Bahasa Indonesia very well,
even in better way than people in Jakarta
Bahasa also as the bridge 500 natives different language..

why they speak Bahasa Indonesia anyway?
Because Dutch never willing to allowed theirs colonial area to learn and speaking their exclusive language.

[_putusatriojhanardanade]

Indonesia making hospital and school even in remote mountains area, and got burned by the separatist and Indonesia still got blame never care of papua jeez. Even papuan alone got money from Jakarta more than any province in Indonesia even Bali

[bigguy]

People say the lands should give back to papuans, ah they already did? Every single governer and regional parliament MP are mandated by law to must be ethnic papuan native

[evirussasaki]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 still very biased video, cherry picking everywhere

1. no detailed explanation about sultanate of ternate territory in papua
2. 1884 dutch new guinea ? that name first appeared is in 1949
3. no info about great east region of dutch east indies (1938 - 1945)
3. in linggardjati agreement, west papua along with bali, lesser sunda islands, celebes, and moluccas is belong to great east under the control of united state of indonesia, but the Dutch did as they pleased to create great east without west papua, and split other territory within united state of indonesia and yeah don't forget about the threat to indonesia government if the government didn't accept the dutch revision of linggardjati agreement
4. the creation of BFO to decrease the existence of republic of Indonesia / nationalist within United state of indonesia in Renville agreement
5. one of the point of Roem–Van Roijen Agreement "The Dutch to refrain from establishing any more federal states in the territory of the future United States of Indonesia" (7 May 1949).
6. in Round Table Conference, "the status of Western New Guinea would be determined through negotiations between the United States of Indonesia and the Netherlands within a year of the transfer of sovereignty." but the reality is, there is no cooperation from the dutch, instead they self-declare west papua in 1950. see the last 2 agreement is violated by the dutch
7. yeah sukarno nationalize the industry, but why not explaining the cause much more detail ? also don't forget, even the dutch violated the last agreement, indonesia still pay its debt according to the agreement before the termination of diplomatic relations with the dutch

[skullrevenant]

Like always, it all started with the british

[taffiejosh]

I play rugby with Papuans in Bali, they all are happy to be part of Indonesia. It gives them more opportunity. There are heaps of West Papuans in the Indonesian military

[NurmaBP]

For regional geopolitic defense strategic, Indonesia learned a lot after losing Timor Leste (thanks to Australia and friends). So does Timor Leste. That's the reason why Indonesia is supporting Timor Leste joining ASEAN.

Let's be honest here, looking on how Australia involved as 'security' in Papua New Guinea's election, just like looking a wolf guarding chicken den.

If Indonesia out from West Papua, that region would be blood bath field, worse than Middle East or Haiti, not only Indonesia would affected by it, but the whole South East Asia region and countries.

We know China, Australia, USA, UK, eyeing that region, and how eager NATO countries having war in this region.

[therichtershow]

Interesting facts. Spending time in Indonesia has been epic! The culture is amazing, there is so much history everywhere and the people are fun! I can't stop taking pictures and making videos here.

[tarjoahay]

The point is : All places that colonized by dutch are part of Indonesia

[wahyualifianto]

I am Indonesian. I will make a little joke. I hope Indonesian people are not mad at me. From the experience of more than 300 years of colonization, I think with Trikora operation, Indonesia showed the world the results of their learning about colonization.

[thepirate]

Please.... Tell us history of Australia... How many native turned off, now we recognize Australia controlled by white, Timor Leste separarated now... Who got the oil of Timor? Papua has a gold, for years Indonesia just got a very little of it.. Meanwhile white guy got the most of it. Indonesia now control take control that gold mine 51%-49%
Now propaganda about Papua pop up😂 quess why???