Indonesia declared its independence on August 17, 1945, following the surrender of Japan in World War II. The newly proclaimed Republic of Indonesia claimed sovereignty over all territories that had constituted the Dutch East Indies, including Western New Guinea (read: History of West Papua). The Dutch, however, sought to retain control of the Papua region, citing cultural and ethnic differences as justification.
From Indonesia’s perspective, retaining West Papua was a matter of national unity and decolonization. The Indonesian nationalist movement had always considered Papua part of the anti-colonial struggle. The Dutch position, in contrast, was widely viewed as an attempt to maintain a colonial foothold in the region.
Source: West Papua
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