The Breakthrough of The Man from Irian

FRANS Kaisiepo was desperate to break into the colonial prison in Hollandia (present-day Jayapura) because his teacher, Soegoro Atmoprasodjo, was being held there. A guard was on watch near the barbed wire door surrounding the prison. A rifle with a bayonet on the end was put over his left shoulder. Kaisiepo was lucky that day, as the prison guard turned out to be from Biak as well.

After lobbying in Biak language, Kaisiepo smoothly visited the prison and met his teacher. Soegoro gave him a short but profound piece of advice that stuck in Kaisiepo's mind.

“That day, July 9, 1946,” Kaisiepo recalled in a treatise entitled “Irian Barat” (West Irian) published in 1961 and included in the collection of the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia, Marzuki Arifin archive No. 383. “Secrets and promises were kept. The meeting lasted an hour, but it was quite memorable. When he shook hands, his tears accidentally rolled down his cheeks.”

That day, they discussed the future of Irian as part of the Republic of Indonesia. Two days later, Kaisiepo left for the Malino Conference in South Sulawesi, which was initiated by Dutch East Indies Governor-General Hubertus van Mook to form a federal state. Kaisiepo later became known as the first person to introduce the name Irian, for the province which is known today as Papua.

A Student of Soegoro

On Biak Island, October 10, 1921, Frans Kaisiepo was born to Albert Kaisiepo and Alberthina Maker. Although he came from rural Biak, Kaisiepo was brought up in a colonial education, which was possible due to the clan line of his father who was a Biak Numfor chieftain and blacksmith.

According to Bernarda Materay, a historian of Papuan studies, Frans Kaisiepo was among the first generation of Papuan educated elite. In 1945, he was one of 150 Papuans who attended the Civil Service Short Course in Kota Nica (now Kampung Harapan), Hollandia. There, he met Soegoro Atmoprasodjo, the teacher and director of the dormitory.

Soegoro, born in Yogyakarta, was a former activist of Taman Siswa which was formed by Ki Hajar Dewantara, a member of the Indonesian Party (Partindo) and a Digoelis, a term for prisoners of the Dutch colonial government who were exiled to featthe concentration camp Boven Digoel, in Southeast Papua. Despite working for the Dutch government, Soegoro used his position to raise the spirit of being Indonesians in Papua. To his students, Soegoro introduced the Indonesia Raya song and convinced them that they were part of Indonesia.

“We were educated by him to educate our children, so that we don't become employees of Irian, but become leaders and guides in Irian. He himself was the leader and nurturer of the nation,” Kaisiepo wrote in his treatise.

His connection to Soegoro led Kaisiepo into politics. Papua's future was already mapped in his mind. While Soegoro was sent to Hollandia prison for plotting a failed rebellion, Kaisiepo began his foray into the Papuan nationalist movement. His position was at the crossroads between Indonesia and the Netherlands.

A Nationalist

Kaisiepo's debut as a political figure began when he became a delegate to the Malino Conference. Before heading to Malino, Kaisiepo infiltrated Hollandia prison to meet Soegoro and ask for guidance.

On July 18, 1946, Kaisiepo was present at Malino with great enthusiasm. As a delegate from Papua, Kaisiepo didn't always represent Dutch interests, as he supported the integration of Papua into the State of East Indonesia or NIT. However, Kaisiepo rejected the idea of Papua being under the Maluku Residency and wanted the region to be led by Papuans themselves.

Pieter Drooglever in Tindakan Pilihan Bebas: Orang Papua dan Penentuan Nasib Sendiri (Free Choice Action: Papuans and Self-Determination) calls Kaisiepo's stance ambiguous. “The main tone of his statement was that Papua wanted cooperation with the Netherlands and Indonesia, both in constitutional development and in education.”

Kaisiepo also introduced the word Irian, which comes from the indigenous Biak language. Irian means heat, which is closely related to the tradition of Biak sailors. Biak sailors heading to Papua Island usually hoped for the sun's heat to dissipate the fog that covered the land. “It also means that Irian is the light that drives away darkness,” Kaisiepo wrote.

He proposed that the name Papua or Nederlands Nieuw Guinea used at that time be replaced with Irian, because the word Papua, derived from a word used by migrants from Maluku, pua-pua which means curly, has the impression of demeaning local people. The word Irian was later politicized by Indonesian nationalist groups in Papua as an acronym for “Ikut Indonesia Anti Nederlands” (Join Republic of Indonesia, Anti Netherlands).

In the evening, Kaisiepo gave a one-hour-and-five-minute speech that was broadcast by Makassar radio. However, Kaisiepo's speech in Malino didn't receive support from the Netherlands and was responded with rejection by Indonesian representatives.

For the Dutch government, Kaisiepo's attitude was surprising and unexpected. An upset Papua resident van Eechoud declared Kaisiepo's remarks about Irian nothing more than a form of “Biak chauvinism”.

As a result, at subsequent conferences, there were no more representatives from Papua. The certainty of Papua's future in the federal state was unclear. This situation continued until the Netherlands recognized Indonesian sovereignty at the Round Table Conference in 1949.

Meanwhile, because of his actions in Malino, the Dutch government sidelined Kaisiepo. He was silenced by being sent back to school for five years at the School of Civil Service or Opleidingsschool voor Inheemsche Bestuursambtenaren (OSIBA). Between 1954-1961, he was assigned to remote districts such as Ransiki, Manokwari, Ayamu-Taminabuan, Sorong, Mimika and Fakfak.

His Political Career

While serving as district chief of Mimika in 1961, Kaisiepo founded the political party Irian Sebagian Indonesia (ISI), which aimed to demand the unification of Papua into the Republic of Indonesia. In the same year, President Sukarno announced Trikora. Through ISI, Kaisiepo played a role in assisting the landing of Indonesian volunteers who were deployed to Mimika.

Since the recognition of sovereignty, the territory of Papua had been disputed between Indonesia and the Netherlands. The Netherlands suspended the surrender of this territory due to political and economic interests. Indonesia finally gained recognition for the territory of Papua in the New York Agreement, August 15, 1962.

In 1964, Kaisiepo was appointed governor to replace Eliezer Jan Bonay, an anti-colonial figure who opposed the Indonesian government's abuse of the Papuan people, and in turn, lost his position and was arrested. After his release, he went to the Netherlands to support the Free Papua Organization until his death in 1989.

During his leadership, Kaisiepo took on a special mission: to win over Indonesia in the Act of Free Choice or Pepera, which was stipulated in the New York Agreement in 1969. He was also appointed as chairman of the West Irian People's Consultative Movement, which aimed to prepare for the unification of West Irian ahead of the Act.

“In him, the Indonesian government found a more docile governor, who therefore also lasted until the completion of the free elections,” Drooglever wrote.

Kaisiepo launched a consecutive campaign throughout the districts: Merauke, Jayawijaya, Paniai, Fakfak, Sorong, Manokwari, Teluk Cendrawasih and Jayapura. Each district was represented by several representatives on the Pepera Consultative Council. Kaisiepo continued to convince the council members to vote for Indonesia, rather than separating from it.

“As an old man and the father of West Irian, I would like to ask all of you. Do you want to remain independent in the big family of the Republic of Indonesia or not? I am sure that you already know and love the red and white,” Kaisiepo said in a speech in Jayawijaya Regency, quoted by Salikin Soemowadjojo in the Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat (Pepera).

In practice, many frauds were detected. The TNI's intervention in the operasi wibawa (authority operation) held by the Cendrawasih Kodam also tarnished the implementation of the Pepera with various acts of coercion. Kaisiepo seemed to turn a blind eye to the arrogant behavior of Javanese officials who were brought to Papua during and post-integration.

The Act of Free Choice was ultimately won by the Indonesian government. In 1969, Kaisiepo became an Indonesian delegate who witnessed the ratification of the results of the Act at the United Nations headquarters in New York. However, he was “heavily guarded” there and not given the opportunity to speak out.

He held the highest position in Indonesia's easternmost province until 1973. According to Drooglever, during his leadership, population growth and the level of education of the Papuan people increased compared to the colonial era. “Even so, integrating Papuans into the Indonesian state remains a problem,” wrote Drooglever.

After retiring, Kaisiepo was assigned to Jakarta by the central government. He was seconded as a high-ranking employee of the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the same time, he was appointed as a member of the Supreme Advisory Council (DPA) until his death in 1979. He was buried in his birthplace, Biak, at the Cendrawasih Heroes Cemetery.

According to Rex Rumakiek, like many Papuan political figures, Kaisiepo's death is shrouded in mystery. He died after receiving treatment at a hospital and was only discovered by his family a few days later. The medical diagnosis stated that Kaisiepo had a heart attack.

“Kaisiepo planned to reveal the truth about the fraud in the implementation of the Act of Free Choice, which was the true desire of the Papuan people,” Rex wrote in “The Colonial Legacy and West Papuan Nationalism”, an International Studies thesis at the University of Sydney, citing an interview with Dirk Samuel Ayamiseba, chairman of West Irian's first DPRD (Regional House of Representatives).

After all, for his services, the Indonesian government honored him with the National Hero title in 1993. His name was immortalized on one of the Indonesian Navy's warships, KRI Frans Kaisiepo (serial number 368) and the international airport on Biak Island. His portrait is also featured on the 2016 edition of 10,000 rupiah notes.

The lack of historical literature on Papuan figures makes Kaisiepo not widely known by Papuans. His name is remembered as the leader of Papua at the beginning of the Indonesian government.

“He became the skipper of Papua when Papua was in an uncertain situation,” Ibiroma Wamla (40), a student of Papuan customs and culture, told Historia.

In Papuan history, Kaisiepo played a different role. He is considered more as a representative of heroism for Indonesia or the Indonesian version of a hero.

“As history, Frans Kaisiepo is really in the past. His photos as a National Hero displayed in classrooms are not very useful,” Johannes Supriyono, a University of Indonesia anthropologist who has long lived in Nabire, Papua, told Historia.

“After all, as a figure, his association is mainly due to the Indonesian government who wants to seek historical legitimacy from Papuans related to the annexation and integration of Papua into Indonesian territory.”

A Master Drinker

There are other interesting sides of Frans Kaisiepo besides him being an Irianese fighter.

Among Papuan men, it is customary to drink alcohol even until they lose consciousness. Frans Kaisiepo wasn’t an exception.  

“His ability to drink was no longer measured by the number of bottles he drank, but his drinking prowess was measured by the number of crates of drinks spent,” mentioned the book Pahlawan Nasional Frans Kaisiepo (Frans Kaisiepo, a National Hero) edited by Pius Suryo Haryono et al.

In a day, Kaisiepo was able to finish one crate of drink. Drinks also helped him end his widowhood since the death of his wife, Anthomina Arwan.  

In 1967, Kaisepo met a sweet Javanese woman named Maria Magdalena Moorwahyuni. The introduction began when Moorwahyuni advocated for the case of a close friend's child who was molested by a Papuan student in Semarang, Central Java. The settlement of the case brought Moorwahyuni together with West Irian Governor Frans Kaisiepo.  

Moorwahyuni worked as an entrepreneur in the liquor trade. Noticing a good opportunity, Moorwahyuni tried to penetrate the liquor market in West Irian.  

“The path she took went smoothly, and eventually she received permission and facilities from the Governor to import liquor. Because of this, she met Frans Kaisiepo more and more often,” wrote Pius as told by Maria Magdalena Moorwahyuni.

The couple then tied the knot on November 12, 1973. However, Kaisiepo's bad habits became a serious concern for Moorwahyuni. To stop her husband's drinking addiction, Moorwahyuni angrily threatened, “Choose drink or me. If you choose the drink, I will go home. If you choose me, then leave the drink.” Since then, Kaisiepo reduced his drinking little by little until he finally quit.

Kaisiepo's marriage to Moorwahyuni was blessed with two children: Kartini Kaisiepo and Viktor Kaisiepo. He had three children from his previous wife: Beatrix Kaisiepo, Susana Kaisiepo, and Manuel Kaisiepo, who served as Minister of Acceleration of Development in Eastern Indonesia in President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Gotong Royong Cabinet.