Westnoken – One of the Papuan traditional figures, Yanto Eluay, emphasized that the existence of Papua within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) is final. As a Large Ondofolo (Traditional Head at the Village level) in the Tabi traditional area, Ondo Yanto firmly stated that the process of determining the people’s opinion (Pepera) had been carried out and the results were final.
The integration of Papua into Indonesia is legal, approved and ratified by the UN. In fact, they carried out direct supervision when the Pepera was held in 1969. The UN sent 50 people to supervise the implementation of the Pepera which was carried out in 8 districts and was attended by 1,026 members of the Pepera Deliberative Council (DMP), representing 809,327 Papuans at that time. The 1969 Act was implemented according to regional conditions and community development, where it was not possible to carry it out using “one man, one vote”.
The results of the Pepera in these 8 districts have absolutely chosen and determined that Papua is part of the Republic of Indonesia. The results are then agreed upon and approved with the signatures of all those present at the meeting. So de facto the Papuan people have chosen to integrate and become part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia – NKRI. Pepera itself was ratified through UN Resolution No. 2504 at the general assembly of November 19, 1969, which was approved by 82 countries.
UN Resolution Number 2504 is a firm statement of UN recognition of Indonesia’s sovereignty over Papua. On that basis, it is important for us to understand that every attempt to secede from the Republic of Indonesia is an act of defiance of applicable international law. Yanto Eluay, who is also the son of the late Theys Eluay, explained that the Pepera was final. Papua is an inseparable part of the Republic of Indonesia and the sons and daughters of the Papuan Deliberative Council (DMP) figures are ready to guard and safeguard the results of the 1969 Pepera.
Yanto Eluay initiated and founded the Presidium of the Sons and Daughters of Pepera Fighters (P5) as part of the moral responsibility of sons and daughters of Pepera fighters in 1969. With the declaration of P5, historical actors and their children and grandchildren will straighten out the history of Pepera so that historical facts are no longer manipulated by groups of people for their political agenda, including those who support the independent Papua movement.
In essence, there is no Papuan independence day, whether it is December 1, July 1, or any other day. If there is, it is just a provocation and lie by OPM to advocate for an independent Papua. These provocations and incitements are often deliberately directed at creating political clashes that actually harm the Papuan people, whether they are indigenous Papuans, descendants or immigrants. Let us all Papuan people/citizens move forward together with Indonesia.