February 26, 2024
Subject : Open Letter from West Papua to the Secretary-General of the United Nations
His Excellency Antonio Guterres
Secretary-General, United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017
Dearest Mr. Secretary-General:
Indonesia's government firmly supports and recognizes independence of the Palestine state in the Middle East BUT Indonesia colonizes West Papua in the Pacific region. Indonesia illegally occupied West Papua through the undermined Round Table Conference on West Papua in the Netherlands on 23 August - 2 November 1949 by the first President of Sukarno more and more grabbed power in Indonesia and the New York Agreement on West Papua on 15 August 1962 article 18. West Papua has a right to gain its independence from Indonesia under the:
- the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of State 26 December 1933
- The United Nations Charter 1 January 1942
- The Preamble to the Indonesian Constitution 1945 First paragraph that all colonialism must be abolished in the world as it is not in conformity with humanity and justice
- On 23 March 1973 the United Nations recognised West Irian now West Papua as distinguished from Indonesia
- Article 73 of the UN Charter for non-self-governing territories entitled to self-determination and mutatis mutandis under US policy long established or enunciated for the West Papuan Peoples and Nation.
Noting that the State of Indonesia does not lawfully exercise sovereignty over the islands of the Executive Government of the Federal Republic of West Papua, nor ever has, and that the Government of JAPAN recognized acts taken by or pursuant to directives of United States Naval Military Government in West Papua, and the rights of the islanders to self-determination, mutatis mutandis to the rights of native and indigenous Formosan and Kurile islanders, or Amami and Okinawans, and that the United States as Principal Victor over the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, and the
Japanese puppet Republic of Indonesia, with right of claim to title in virtue of the unconditional surrender of the Empire of Japan and its puppets in West Papua, and the fact that the United States have never relinquished their rights of conquest which may be asserted pursuant, mutatis mutandis, to the Memo of October 25, 1950, to the Far Eastern Commission clarifying and invoking Article 73 of the UN Charter for non-self governing territories entitled to self-determination, as to Formosa, and mutatis mutandis pursuant to US policy long established or enunciated for the West Papuan Peoples and Nation.
The People of West Papua are of Pacific race and have closer affinity and share common customs and traditions with the people of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, New Caledonia, Australia, Cook Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu.
It was never our choice for West Papua to be integrated into the Republic of Indonesia rather it was because of the foreign interests that we were forced into Indonesia 50 years ago. Over the intervening years, we have fought guerrilla warfare and continuous peaceful resistance against the Indonesian state’s military supremacy and have suffered all forms of horrendous crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Indonesian military, police, and intelligence organizations.
As a result, our men, women, and children have suffered terribly. Nevertheless, we have withstood such oppression, stood our ground, and defended our inheritance up to this day. We thank Jesus we have been able to endure up until today. We firmly believe that the human rights abuses and sufferings in Papua will only come to an end when West Papua gains its full independence.
We are administering, strengthening, and running the Political Structure of the Executive Government of the Federal Republic of West Papua with 20 Cabinet Ministers State and Government Institutions, and local governments of 10 Provinces, 88 Regencies, 10 Municipalities, and 3 Special Areas. Papua United Party and the Papuan Democratic Party were initiated and established by officials of the Executive Government of the Federal Republic of West Papua.
Bring West Papua back to the United Nations agenda and the United Nations' full authority and responsibility to pursue the creation of a senior-level negotiation between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, represented by the Leaders appointed by the newly elected President of Indonesia in 2024, and the Officials of the Executive Government of the Federal Republic of West Papua and to be mediated by a UN Security Council Representative to result in recognition and orderly and Peaceful transition and transfer of the power from the state of Indonesia to the State of West Papua which shall be carried out under the auspices of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force.
On 7 February 2023, the Free Papua Movement insurgents arrested kidnapped, and took hostage New Zealander pilot Phillip Mark Mehrtens, who remains in captivity until the present date with the political motive of independence of West Papua from Indonesia. Both Indonesia and the Kidnappers have been stalemated because of the Military Approach and never involved in neutral mediation or involvement of a Political and Diplomatic approach to releasing hostage.
The Federal Republic of West Papua is a peace-loving state and it will guarantee all Indonesian peoples and Foreigners presently residing in West Papua the right to citizenship and ensure their safety and security from the time of independence and beyond.
Thank you for your highest consideration and positive response.
Yours Sincerely,
Yoab Syatfle
Prime Minister of the State and Islands of, and Executive Government of the Federal Republic of West Papua, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the WEST PAPUAN Liberation Organization.
Cc to :The Permanent Representatives of the United Nations in New York