Jayapura – Deputy Chair II of the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP), Max Abner Ohee, stressed the importance of setting the historical record straight, responding firmly to what he described as distorted narratives.
His remarks came after the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) circulated leaflets claiming that the 1962 New York Agreement was legally flawed. Ohee, who also serves as Chairman of the Central Board of Barisan Merah Putih Republic of Indonesia, rejected the claim and emphasized that the agreement, signed on August 15, 1962, is a legitimate legal document recognized by all United Nations (UN) member states.
According to him, the agreement was not a unilateral decision but the outcome of extensive negotiations between Indonesia and the Netherlands, facilitated by the UN. The talks concluded with the decision to transfer Papua gradually to Indonesia under UN supervision.
“The agreement was signed on August 15, 1962, and by May 1, 1963 at the latest, the UN formally handed Papua over to Indonesia. Since that date, Indonesia has been the legitimate sovereign over Papua,” Ohee explained on Thursday (August 14, 2025).
He dismissed KNPB’s claims as provocative and misleading, warning that such narratives pose a danger to the younger generation. Ohee reminded that since Indonesia’s Proclamation of Independence on August 17, 1945, the nation’s territory has covered all former Dutch East Indies lands, stretching from Sabang to Merauke.
“The KNPB does not study history correctly. As a result, young people may be misled into thinking Papua will become independent, when in fact the entire world, through the UN, has affirmed Papua as an integral part of Indonesia,” he stated.
As a senior figure, Ohee urged Papuan youth not to fall into separatist narratives that distort history and risk undermining unity.
