Canberra, undated
T.P.N.G. West Irian border liaison
The third border liaison meeting between an Administration team led by Mr. R. Webb and the Indonesians was held at Djajapura on 20th October 1969.1
2. Agreement in principle was reached on points discussed, the main points being:
- the Indonesians provided special roneoed letters offering amnesty on return to West Irian of all dissidents and tribal border crossers, signed by Vice Governor Sarwono and invitation to return signed by Military Commander General Sarwo Edhie for distribution in T.P.N.G.2
- the West Irian Government agreed to establish a police post at Bupul from where liaison will be maintained at Lake Murray, and also will give serious consideration to a liaison meeting at local level in the Western district …
- in respect of the influenza outbreak,3 Mr. Webb offered the services of a doctor with experience with the influenza epidemic, which the Indonesians accepted if and when required.
- the West Irian authorities thanked the Australian Government for the use of Australian airspace over T.P.N.G. for its planes in bad weather and will ensure that such aircraft will call D.C.A. at either Port Moresby or Wewak when using this airspace.
- in order to contact West Irianese living in T.P.N.G. and inform them of the amnesty and to facilitate border crossings the West Irian authorities requested permission to allow two teams to move into the Sepik and Western districts.
3. Department of External Affairs has no objections to the visits by Indonesian officials, it being understood that the visitors would be required to put their case to the refugees moderately and without threats, or to the Administration recommending to West Irianese who might not otherwise know of it, consideration of the Indonesian offer. External Affairs do not propose to put this to the Minister for External Affairs at this transitional stage.
4. It is recommended that the teams be allowed to visit Papua and New Guinea to contact West Irianese living in camps in the vicinity of the Border, the Administration to be asked to ensure arrangements that avoid any appearance of coercion.4
[NAA: A452, 1969/3881]
1 For background, see footnote 2, Document 297.
2 Indonesian news agency Antara reported that in Jayapura on 16 September Soeharto had formally pardoned all West lrianese involved in rebellions against the Indonesian administration during the previous three years. He also asked Papuans abroad to end anti-Indonesian activities which he said were futile and contrary to the decision of the people (Australian, 18 September 1969, NLA: mfm NX 48). Suharto’s declaration built on one of February 1969 in which the Republic had offered the safe return oflrianese exiles wishing to take part in the Act of Free Choice (see submission, Rowland to Freeth, undated, NAA: A1838, 3036/1411/6 part 12). Fourteen lrianese families on Manus originally indicated a willingness to return (minute, Besley to Warwick Smith, 11 April 1969, NAA: A452, 1969/1766) but all except two changed their minds. The family of one, Nicholas Nere, was refused entry by the Indonesians (telex 4014, DOET to Administration, 21 April 1969, ibid.) because of a re-entry application that DEA labelled ‘rather provocative’ (cablegram 1133, DEA to Djakarta, 18 April 1969, NAA: A6364, JA1969/04).
3 Presumably a reference to effects in Irian of an influenza outbreak which in September had reached epidemic proportions in the PNG Highlands (for an account of the situation in PNG, see statement by Lokoloko, House of Assembly debates, 13 November 1969, NLA: Nq. 328.952 PAP, p. 1960) .
4 A note of 12 November by Ballard indicates that Barnes approved the recommendation. On 3 December, an Indonesian delegation arrived in PNG: ‘The Yako refugees proved suspicious about the amnesty and only one man announced that he would accept the offer. Several others, however, are said to be considering it, and according to the press there was “no apparent animosity” between the refugees and the officials. The team flew to Manus on 7 December where they received an equally suspicious reception. As yet none of the refugees on Manus have accepted the amnesty’ (cablegram 4021, DEA to Djakarta, 10 December 1969, NAA: Al838, 3034/10/1/4 part 10). On 27 December, 70 refugees were flown from Vanimo to Djajapura where, according to an Administration official, they were met by Sarwo Edhie and accorded an ‘excellent reception’ (cablegram 6, DEA to Djakarta, 2 January 1970, NAA: A452, 1969/4837). Among the returnees were 12 from Morehead camp in the south. The situation in the south had been complicated by the arrival in early 1969 of ‘several hundred West Irianese … who have crossed over solely through a dread of oppression generated through rumours of maltreatment of others elsewhere’. The Australians identified them as ‘ordinary villagers with little or no political consciousness’ and believed ‘the best course is for them to return quietly to their villages’. However, there was concern that ‘Because of their large numbers … the Indonesians may mistake their character or intentions if they saw them return unexpectedly and en masse’. Thus Jockel was asked to undertake the ‘somewhat delicate task’ of ‘putting it to the Indonesians that the quiet and permanent return of these people to their villages will depend on the reception and subsequent treatment they receive’ (cablegram 2764, DEA to Djakarta, 1 September 1969, NAA: A1838, 936/5 part 7). Soepardjo promised Jockel that a message would be sent to Djajapura ‘instructing local authorities to ensure that arrangements for reception and treatment, etc. would be the best that could be devised’ (cablegram 2303, 2 September 1969, NAA: A452, 1969/3330). The majority of these ‘tribal people’ appear to have returned by the end of 1969 (see cablegram 4046, DEA to Djakarta, 11 December 1969, cablegram to the Hague (1032), Djakarta (4061) and Geneva (2603), 12 December 1969, and cablegram 1045, DEA to the Hague, 17 December 1969, NAA: A1838, 3036/14/1/6 part 18).