The Act Of Free Choice (PEPERA) Is
Legitimate Based On International Law
Papua is a legitimate part of the
Republic of Indonesia. The return of Papua became part of Indonesia is the
result of a United Nations treaty known as New York Agreement which is held on August
15th, 1962 which ended with the Act of free choice for Papuans people in 1969.
New York Agreement is held to ensure
the transparency of the Act of free choice, by including elements of advice,
support, and participation of the UN and the UN reporting to the international
community through the UN General Assembly. Based on the results of the New York
agreement (between Indonesia and the Netherlands) in 1962, detailed provisions
regarding the implementation of the act of free choice contained in Article
XVIII, which includes 4 items as follows:
1.
consultative
councils would be instructed on procedures to assess the will of the population
2.
The
actual date of the act would be completed before 1969
3.
A
clear formulation so that residents determine whether to stay or to separate
from Indonesia
4.
All
adults would be allowed to participate in the act of free choice.
Act of free choice in 1969 conducted based
on the results of the above agreement as international law to provide
opportunities to the people of Papua in determining their own destiny. However,
due to the settlements location of Papuans who at that time a lot of them where
still lived in isolated areas, so that the implementation of the Act (the Act
of Free Choice) cannot be implemented with "one man one vote" system.
As the Implementation of the Act of
Free Choice, 1.025 people (some of them are chief of the tribe at their
district) who came from 8 districts in Papua as the representation of Papuan
people, give their vote to choose between two alternatives which are remain in
the Unity of Indonesia or sever ties with Indonesia. The Act of Free Choice was directly supervised
by the UN. This is in accordance with the agreement of New York as the international
law which does not mention the implementation of one person one vote system or
known as "One Man, One Vote".
As the result of the Act of Free
Choice, people of Papua chose to remain united with the Indonesian government.
Results were then handed over to Dr. Fernando Ortiz Sanz (UN representative to
oversee the Act) for later reported to the 24th UN General Assembly on 19
November 1969. In the process, 84 UN members approved that Papua return to their
motherland, Indonesia.
From those facts above, it is clear that
the return of Papua to the territory of the Republic of Indonesia, is a pure
desire of the people of Papua. Referendum process is also relevant with
international law and recognized by the UN and the international community.
1st Lt Sultan
1st Lt Sultan
