Papua- During the Colonial Period, West Papua, formerly known as West Irian or Irian Jaya, was a former Dutch colony.
After the proclamation of Indonesian independence in 1945, the Dutch tried to maintain control over West Papua.
The border conflict between Indonesia and the Netherlands, which included West Papua, lasted for several years after Indonesian independence.
Eventually, through the New York Agreement in 1962, the Netherlands agreed to hand over the administration of West Papua to the United Nations, which then handed it over to Indonesia.
In 1969, a referendum or Pepera (Plebiscite), Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat was held in West Papua to determine the political status of the territory.
The result, called the “Act of Free Choice,” showed a majority in favor of integration with Indonesia.
Based on the results of the Act, West Papua officially became part of Indonesia in 1969.
The region was later granted special autonomy status in recognition of its cultural diversity and historical context.
Since integration into Indonesia, Papua and West Papua Provinces have experienced rapid economic, social, and political development. this is a form of government attention to Papua and West Papua Provinces as part of Indonesia which has been legal since 1969 until now.
