Reiner Brabar, Jayapura – Sixty-four years have passed, yet the question of who determined Papua's future remains unresolved.
Students from the Jayapura University of Science and Technology (USTJ) once again raised this issue during a protest commemorating the series of political events that occurred in Papua in 1962 that was held on the USTJ campus grounds in Padang Bulan, Abepura, Jayapura, on Wednesday September 30.
During the action, the students questioned the political legitimacy of the process that determined Papua's future in 1962, particularly regarding the position and involvement of indigenous Papuans in the diplomatic proceedings between Indonesia and the Netherlands.
"We question the political legitimacy of the process that determined Papua's future in 1962. For us, the issue is not just about commemorating a historical event, but questioning the extent to which the Papuan people were positioned as active subjects within that process", said one of the students.
The students believe that the issue of Papuan representation in the 1962 political and diplomatic processes needs to be revisited within an academic context. According to them, the history of Papua should not be viewed solely from the perspectives of the nations involved in the negotiations, but also through the experiences of the Papuan people who were directly affected by the political decisions made at the time.
"The Rome Agreement and the series events in 1962 must be examined critically. We want Papua's history to be viewed not only from the perspective of the state or the negotiating nations but also from the perspective of the Papuan people", they said.
Based on information gathered at the location, the students also raised the Morning Star independence flag on the campus grounds. They described this act as a symbol of their political position and a mark of respect for the history of the Papuan struggle.
"This action represents a form of conveying the students political position. We want academic space to remain open for critical and peaceful discussion regarding legitimacy, representation, and the right to determine Papua's future", they said.
Historically, the events of 1962 were linked to the diplomacy between Indonesia and the Netherlands regarding West New Guinea. In official United Nations (UN) records, the formally registered document is the New York Agreement, signed on August 15, 1962. This agreement stipulated the transfer of the administration of West New Guinea to the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) prior to its subsequent transfer to Indonesia.
The student protest at USTJ on September 30 demonstrates that issues regarding history, political legitimacy, Papuan representation and the process of determining Papua's future remain subjects of debate within both the public sphere and academic circles in Papua.
Currently, the situation at the USTJ Jayapura campus is tense with police reportedly entering the campus grounds and firing dozens of tear gas canisters to disperse the student protest.
As of the time of publication, Suara Papua is still attempting to obtain confirmation from the police and the USTJ administration.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Bintang Kejora Berkibar di Kampus USTJ, Polisi Tembak Gas Air Mata".]
Source: https://suarapapua.com/2026/09/30/bintang-kejora-berkibar-di-kampus-ustj-polisi-tembak-gas-air-mata/
