GENOCIDE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES BY FOREIGN NATIONS

Icon of Markus Haluk, ULMWP secretary, by Ambrosius Mulait.

"Be aware that your way of life will only swallow up other victims!" 

 The lyrics of the Papuan band "Black Brothers" are worth singing today as we celebrate the 114th anniversary of Jayapura City.

I. 114 Years of Jayapura City: what happens next?

When we sing this song, as we commemorate the 114th anniversary of Papua's capital city, some simple questions may come to mind: what is the fate of its landowners called Port Numbay people? Where are they now? What has happened to other Papuans in this land? It's also worth asking: what was the fate of indigenous tribes in other parts of the world after Europeans arrived in their countries? On this occasion, I share this article for all to ponder, referring to history and looking to the future of Port Numbay's indigenous peoples on their ancestral lands.

In 1903, the Dutch government first opened a government post near the Imbi River in Jayapura, which was then called Hollandia. Since then, there has been a migration of Europeans and Asians, especially Indonesians, to the new city. The flow of settlements intensified when evangelistic posts were opened by Dutch missionaries. To evangelize the local population, people from several Christian base areas in Indonesia such as Toraja, Manado, Sanger, Batak, Central Java, Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara were brought in to assist the Dutch missionaries in the area.

The Dutch government gave the northern part of Papua to Protestant missions and the southern part to Catholic missions. Although the policy was repealed in 1927, in 1929 the Catholic Church was still prohibited from establishing posts within Jayapura City: Catholic missionaries were directed to work in the interior Arso and Waris (Keerom) regencies. It wasn't until 1930 that Catholic missions were allowed to open evangelization posts and churches in Jayapura.

In the 1930s, Muslim migrants from Java began settling in Jayapura, in the Sabron area, later known as Kerto Sari. In 1950, the Dutch government opened the first mosque in Jayapura, at the end of Jalan Percetakan. This mosque was mainly built for the migrants from Java and Sulawesi who were arriving in increasing numbers. By 1962, there were around 2,200 Indonesian and Dutch settlers in Jayapura. 

In 1949, the Netherlands handed over sovereignty to its largest colony, Indonesia, the former Dutch East Indies. At the same time, the Dutch government began promoting development for an independent Papua or Dutch New Guinea. 

Job training is organized for Papuans. Some were prepared to enter politics and government. Independence was granted in 1961 and full sovereignty was scheduled ten years later in 1971. However, this plan was foiled by the Indonesian government with the complicity of the US government and the UN. Papua was eventually occupied by Indonesia in 1963 and annexed in 1969.

After the entry of the Indonesian army in May 1963, urbanization became anarchic: Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, became the main destination for migrants from both Indonesia and inland Papua.

By early 2024, due to uncontrolled urbanization in Jayapura, its indigenous population, commonly referred to as the Port Numbay people, had become a significant minority. Based on data held by the Jayapura City Population and Civil Registration Office (Dispendukcapil), the current indigenous population of Port Numbay is only 2.84 percent of the total population of Jayapura or only 11,949 people spread across 5 Districts. 

It must be acknowledged that development over the past 60 years in Jayapura has improved the lives of non-Papuan migrants, but not the lives of Port Numbay natives. 

In terms of land ownership, 80% of productive land in Port Numbay has changed hands and been converted. More than 80% of the land in Jayapura city is occupied and 'owned' by migrants. To make matters worse, many Port Numbay natives have recently been living in rented houses/dormitories built by migrants. The original occupants of Port Numbay are increasingly isolated and marginalized on the outskirts of the city. Some of them are surrounded in the middle of shophouses, markets and other buildings. It is now very difficult to find the original settlements of the Port Numbay people. 

Looking at this situation, my question is what will happen to the indigenous people of Port Numbay in 2124 or 100 years from now? Will they still be around?

II. The extermination of the world's indigenous tribes by Europeans

The bitterness experienced by the Papuan people, especially the indigenous people of Port Numbay over the past 114 years has also been experienced by other ethnic groups on various continents before. Let us review how the extinction of indigenous tribes occurred in the Americas, Australia and Asia.

It should be noted that the extinction of these indigenous tribes only occurred after 50-100 years of contact with European settlers.

1. Latin America 

Hispaniola island

When Columbus landed on the island of Hispaniola in 1492, there were about 300,000 natives there. Four years later, due to exploitation by the Spanish colonizers, there were only 200,000 Hispaniola natives remaining. Fifty years later, only 5,000 people were still alive. Now there are hardly any to count. 

Brazil

According to some historians' estimates, the indigenous population in Brazil numbered 4,000,000 before the Portuguese arrived in the sixteenth century. In 1900, only 500,000 people remained from 230 tribes. Between 1900 and 1957, less than 80,000 people lived in 143 tribes; this means that between 1900 and 1957, 87 indigenous tribes were wiped out in Brazil; in other words, 1.5 indigenous tribes were wiped out in one year in one country. In 1971, the number of indigenous tribes dropped again to 50,000 people. It can be concluded that in general, indigenous tribes become extinct within 50 years of first contact with settlers.

2. North America

Since European pioneers entered North America in the 17th century, about 20 indigenous tribes have been pushed to the brink of extinction, such as the Iluron, Yahi, Yana and others. There were also other tribes that were close to extinction, but around 1900, the governments of Canada and the United States began to pay special attention to saving these tribes from extinction.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2022 the total Native American population is currently about 6.79 million out of 331.9 million U.S. residents, about 2.09 percent of the total U.S. population.

3. Australia

Tasmania Island

In 1803, European settlers began taking Aboriginal lands on the island of Tasmania. In the eyes of these white colonizers, natives who did not dress and speak the national language, and moreover, who were always moving from place to place, could not be considered landowners. This was despite their ancestors having inhabited the island for thousands of years.

On the pretext that the natives often stole their cattle, the European settlers decided to retaliate by killing all the natives on the island. As a result, around 5,000 indigenous Tasmanians disappeared over a period of 73 years. Today, even a single person is hard to find. 

Australian continent

The Aboriginal people of mainland Australia used to number around 300,000. Now only 115,000 people remain. Of these 115,000, only 35,000 can be called "pure-blooded" due to massive sexual violence by white settlers. This number is still dwindling towards extinction.

Some tribes have disappeared over time, such as those who once lived near the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia. In the last century there were just 1,500 people. In many of Australia's major cities, indigenous people who owned land were killed off and eventually became extinct. For example, in the Perth city region, the tribe quickly dwindled until its last member, Joobailch, died in 1907. By 2023, the total Aboriginal population will be only 812,728 out of Australia's total population of 26,439,111 people. 

4. Asia and Indian Ocean

Andaman Islands 

Before 1858, there were 6,000 Negrito people in the Andaman Islands. After the British colonized the islands, only 600 Negritos remained. Among them are many sterilized women, and with venereal diseases brought by migrants in the past century. 

Philippines

The indigenous tribes that still exist on the island of Mindanao have long been driven from the coast to the jungles, mountains in the interior. The problem is that traders have entered the jungle area as well, and are killing the native population and seizing their land, especially to obtain forest products. For example, in 1971 several hundred indigenous people were reported to have been victims of a massacre on the western island of Mindanao. President Marcos intervened, and formed an organization called PANAMIN, under the leadership of Manuel Elizalde, to protect tribes threatened with extermination in the Philippines. 

Today, we always hear reports or protests about the elimination of certain types of animals, for example the Sumatran tigers, the Komodo of Nusa Tenggara, the African gorillas, crocodiles, whales and so on. But few people have noticed that many cultures and human beings are undergoing the same destruction.

Referring to the facts above and existing statistics, experts estimate that the entire world is losing five ethnic groups every year. 

III. The Threat of Genocide and Ecocide in West Papua 

Following BPS Papua data and various population demographic studies in Papua, one of them is Dr. Jim Elmslie in Under the Gun Indonesian Economic Development versus West Papua Nationalism can be summarized as follows, in 1971 the population of Papua was 923,000 divided into 36,000 non-Papuans while Papuans were 887,000. 

In 1990 there were 414,210 non-Papuans and 1,215,897,000 Papuans with a total of 1,630. 1,630,107.00 people. In 2005 the number of non-Papuan residents was 1,087,694.00 and Papuans were 1,558. 795.00 total amount 2,646. 489.00. 

In 2011, the number of non-Papuans was 1,980,000.00 and Papuans were 1,700,000.00, the total number was 3,680,000.00 people. In 2020, the population of Papua Province was 4.3 million people and West Papua Province, 1.13 million people.

The total population of the Provinces of Papua and West Papua, 5. 3,13,000 people. Of the population of Papua and West Papua, in the 10 year period from 2010-2020, Papua Province saw an increase in population of 1.3 million people, while the population increase in West Papua Province was 373.65 thousand people. The total additional population from outside Papua is 1.6 million people.

Not only humans are destroyed, but also the environment!

Environmental Crimes in Papua for 20 Years (2001-2021) for and in the name of investment. As we all know, Papua has 2/5 (38%) of the remaining forest area in Indonesia, but the fact is that currently companies clearing land for palm oil, paper/pulp mills and mining operating in Papua are resulting in deforestation. Other causes of deforestation are civil infrastructure development, resettlement for transmigration residents, office construction, trans-district roads, TNI/POLRI infrastructure development areas. 

In March-May 2020, through satellite imagery, deforestation of 1,488 ha of land was found in the oil palm area. The largest are in the Manokwari region (372 ha), in the Merauke region (372), in Boven Digoel (222 ha) and in Bintuni (110 ha). The Indonesian Monitoring Coalition reports (this coalition consists of 11 NGOs) that deforestation in Papua has increased greatly during President Jokowi's administration. 

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency in 2020, the forest cover area of ​​Papua is 34.4 million hectares (ha). During the last 20 years, natural forest areas experienced deforestation of 663,433 ha; 71% of this deforestation occurred during the 2011-2019 period. So the average deforestation in Papua is around 34,000 ha per year; peak in 2015: 89,000 ha. During the 2015-2019 period (Jokowi I's cabinet) Papua lost 298,600 ha. The largest deforestation was in the areas of Merauke (123,000 ha), Boven Digoel (51,600 ha), Nabire (32,900 ha), Teluk Bintuni (33,400 ha), Sorong (33,400 ha) and Fakfak (31,700 ha). 

Starting from this fact, the Indonesian colonial rulers (President Jokowi and his Cabinet) at the G-20 Summit in Rome on 31 October 2021 said: "Indonesia has the largest tropical forest in the world, Indonesia has strategic significance in dealing with climate change.” My question is which tropical forest protection is intended?

We need to emphasize that the reduction in Papua's forest cover has a significant impact on the lives of indigenous Papuans. Most of them are gatherers, cultivators, farmers, hunters and fishermen. They are fully dependent on the surrounding environment as a source of food availability. Government policies on environmental management, both forest and marine, will directly impact their food sources and income.

IV. Closing Notes

Based on the facts we have presented in this material, the arrival of colonizers from various regions has eliminated indigenous tribes. Likewise, the presence of European settlers who were then followed up by Indonesian settlers in West Papua had an impact on the extermination of local indigenous tribes, especially the people of Port Numbay. The indigenous people of Port Numbay are marginalized, racially discriminated against, practically heading towards extermination in their own land.

The ruling elite and their minions have lost their conscience, their eyes blinded by intelligence weapons, legal weapons and camouflage weapons still see and comfort themselves by saying that palm oil investment, special autonomy program, creation of new provinces, will bring prosperity and progress. This is their classic argument to justify colonization for the sake of genocide, ecocide and ethnocide against indigenous Papuans.

At the end of this material, I would like to reiterate that Port Numbay, West Papua is not empty land, Papua does not belong to the bourgeoisie, capitalist elite, military elite, political elite to invest in gold, palm oil, plantations and others. But West Papua is our land, it belongs to the Papuan people. Papua is the property of the Melanesian people. 

Therefore, I invite you to sing together with me the Black Brothers' song, in 1975, "Be aware of your way of life, which will only swallow other victims. The Morning Star rises, doomsday, doomsday you too" Remember, God does not sleep! Before everything happens, repent! 

People of Papua, don't cry, look ahead, the Morning Star will rise!

by Markus Haluk,

ULMWP Executive Secretary.