Soekarno Wants Papua, Hatta Rejects Papua

Bung Hatta and Bung Karno (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta are not only about cohesiveness. The two are often involved in differences. Even after Indonesia's independence. Hatta always positioned himself as a critic of Soekarno. Papua problem, for example. Sukarno wanted Papua to be part of Indonesia. Even refused.

For Hatta, the Papuan people have the right to become an independent nation. The debate is proof that Hatta is not a 'Yes Man' who can be driven. The disagreement about Papua between Soekarno and Hatta began at a meeting of the Investigative Agency for Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI) on 10-11 July 1945.

At that time, the majority of meeting participants agreed that Papua would become part of Indonesia. Papua is described as having a strong emotional affinity with the Bumiputras. Papua is considered to be able to complete the territory of the former Dutch East Indies, with the addition of North Borneo (Sarawak and Sabah), Malaya, to Portuguese Timor - now Timor Leste.

One of the meeting participants, Mohammad Yamin even stated that historically, politically, and geopolitically the Papua region is part of Indonesia. Papua is a vassal (conquest area) of the Tidore kingdom in Maluku. Soekarno agreed with Yamin.

Soekarno revealed that Indonesia was indeed blessed by God with an area that stretched from Sumatra to Papua. The narrative is eternally known as: from Sabang to Merauke.

"If I see the location of the islands that are scattered between Asia and Australia, between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, I understand that there is a unity that has been willed by Allah SWT," Soekarno said in the meeting quoted by Wawan Tunggul Alam in the book For the sake of My People: Bung Karno vs. Bung Hatta (2003).

“Look gentlemen on the world map the picture of the Indonesian Archipelago. It is obvious that it is a unit. Therefore, in this trial, I will give my voice to the understanding that an independent Indonesian state must also include Malaya and Papua, that's all," he added.

Hatta and Soekarno (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

In the midst of the majority opinion that supports Papua as part of Indonesia, Hatta emerges as a differentiator. Hatta said Papua was inhabited by the majority of Melanesians. If Indonesia wants to find a region that is more emotionally close, then the answer is not Papua, but Malaya and North Borneo because of the ethnic similarity of the Malay family.

“I myself want to state that I don't care about Papua at all, it can be handed over to the Papuan people themselves. I admit that the Papuan people also have the right to become an independent nation, but the Indonesian people for the time being, namely in a few decades, have not been able, have not had enough energy, to educate the Papuan people so that they become an independent nation," concluded Hatta at the BPUPKI meeting. .

Nevertheless, Hatta emphasized, the matter is different if the desire to join Indonesia arises from the desire of the Papuans themselves. In that corridor, Hatta agreed. However, if Papua was forced to enter Indonesia, then Indonesia would be no different from the Dutch colonialists. This means that Indonesia has not learned anything from colonialism. Starting from the colonized nation, then actually perpetuate the politics of imperialism.

"So if this continues, maybe we are not satisfied with Papua alone but Solomon is still what we ask for and so on until the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Can we defend such a large area? Do we have enough energy to organize all of these areas into our homeland environment?” Hatta said.

Soekarno 'insist' on Papua

Compared to Hatta, the ideas of Soekarno and Mohammad Yamin were chosen by the majority of BPUPKI meeting participants. After that Soekarno made the issue of seizing West Irian (Papua) a crucial matter. Bung Karno said that without West Irian, the archipelago would not fully become Indonesia.

In almost every moment Bung Karno always showed his love for West Irian. That love is present in every echo of his speech. Bung Karno had also made an analogy with West Irian as part of the body. Which, if one part has been lost, then the balance will not be possible.

“Compared to our archipelago, West Irian is only as wide as a Moringa leaf, but West Irian is a part of our body. Would someone allow one of his limbs to be amputated without putting up a fight?” Bung Karno's words were written by Cindy Adams in the book Bung Karno: Connecting the Tongue of the Indonesian People (1965).

The West Irian problem is slowly becoming a personal problem. Bung Karno 'insisted' to carry out various negotiations to seize West Irian. However, because Indonesia was too dependent on diplomacy and using tongues, the Dutch seemed to be acting fraudulently. As a result, Indonesia is often harassed in UN forums. The proposal for West Irian to become part of Indonesia was rejected.

Old Papua (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

Bung Karno was angry and began to lose his temper. The path of diplomacy did not work, Bung Karno chose the path of war. The Tri Komando Rakyat (Trikora) narrative in 1961 became Bung Besar's ultimate effort. Trikora's spirit then boomed everywhere. Including in front of the people of Celebes in 1962. Bung Karno promised to raise the Red and White in the land of Papua soon.

"God willing, soon and within this year the Red and White will be flying in West Irian. We will not care whether the invasion of West Irian caused the world to be shocked or not. We don't care, we don't care, because the return of Irian The West into the territory of the Republic of Indonesia is a firm determination of the Indonesian people and a bloodbath that does not depend on the Indonesian people," said Bung Karno's speech quoted by Rosihan Anwar in Sukarno's book, the Army, PKI: Triangle of Power Before Political Storms, 1961-1965 (2006). .

The pinnacle of being loved by scholars arrived. Trikora echoed by Sukarno to fruition. West Irian succeeded in uniting with Indonesia in May 1963. In negotiations between Indonesia and the Netherlands brokered by the United States, the Netherlands agreed to budget 30 million dollars per year for the development of West Irian through the United Nations.

Meanwhile, Indonesia was obliged to hold a Popular Opinion (Pepera) for the people of West Irian in December 1969. The Act then took place from 14 July 1969 in Merauke and ended on 4 August 1969 in Jayapura. As a result, West Irian completely became part of Indonesia. That way, Indonesia's territory is complete across from Sabang to Merauke.

* Read other information about NUSANTARA HISTORY or read other interesting articles from Detha Arya Tifada.

Other MEMORIES