Saturday will mark 64 years since the New York Agreement, which saw the West Papuan people "betrayed by the international community", the Australia West Papua Association noted this week.

On 15 August in 1962, an agreement was concluded in New York between the Netherlands and Indonesia. Under the agreement, the Dutch were to leave their colony of West New Guinea and transfer sovereignty to the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA).

Seven months on, the UN would transfer control of the territory to Indonesia with the provision that a referendum be held to determine Papuan preference for independence or integration with Indonesia.

'The Act of No Choice'

Indonesia did hold a referendum in 1969 called the Act of Free Choice. Many West Papuans refer to the vote as "the act of no choice". Indonesian authorities choose only 1025 people to vote (one representative for approximately every 700 Papuans) and under coercion they voted to remain with Indonesia.

On August 3 the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) held rallies across West Papua with the theme "Papua: Military and Humanitarian Emergency".

The rallies were called to bring attention to the humanitarian crises in the territory: The ongoing human rights abuses, the military operations, the killing and torture of civilians, the Australia West Papua Association said on Thursday.

Violent repression of peaceful protests

The Association said security forces responded with "their usual heavy-handed approach to rallies in the territory" at the protest organised in Sentani, Jayapura.

"As the demonstrators gathered for their planned march to the Jayapura Regent's Office, police officers dispersed the protesters using rubber batons and sticks, striking blows to protesters' heads and bodies during the dispersals," AWPA said.

According to Human Rights Monitor 33 protesters were injured.

In another incident, a Jubi journalist was intimidated by a police officer. The journalist reported the incident occurred as he attempted to photograph police officers placing a protester into a crowd-control vehicle on Ifar Gunung Road in the Sentani District. The Jayapura Police Chief later apologised for the incident.

More protests planned

The West Papua National Committee (KNPB) says it will stage another round of demonstrations this Saturday - 15 August - on the anniversary of the New York Agreement, under the theme "Papua: Military Emergency and Humanitarian Crisis Zone".

A KNPB spokesperson announced the plan after the group's rally in Jayapura City on Monday 3 August. He said that the rallies on the 3 August were an initial mobilisation ahead of the larger coordinated demonstrations planned for 15 August.

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney) spokesperson Joe Collins noted: "Every year West Papuans commemorate this tragic event in their history."

"In the past the security forces have responded with a heavy-handed approach to any demonstrations on the 15 August," he said.

During the August 2024 commemoration police dispersed used force to disperse peaceful protests in the towns of Nabire, Wamena, and Sentani, as well as in Jayapura City. According to Human Rights Monitor, approximately 222 protesters were arrested and 41 injured as police forces dispersed the crowd with batons, teargas, and rubber bullets

"Hopefully this year there will be not a repeat of the incidents of brutally by the security forces that have occurred the past and as occurred on the 3 August and the planned rallies for the 15 August will be allowed to proceeded without interference from the security forces," Mr Collins said.

Allegations of more intimidation

The KNPB have been submitting official notices of the planned peaceful protest to government and security institutions ahead of the nationwide demonstration planned for the 15 August.

The Australia West Papua Association alleged that in one incident while the KNPB were informing police of the planned rally, members were subjected to violence by officers while attempting to deliver the notification letter.

A KNPB official said several members were subjected to repressive treatment, including physical violence by the officers on guard. He reported police blocked the group from entering, confiscated two KNPB flags and assaulted two KNPB members.

The KNPB has called on security forces to refrain from any form of repression and to respect public safety and order during the planned demonstration.

Mr Collins said the KNPB can mobilise large numbers of demonstrators to take part in rallies and the crackdown on peaceful rallies in West Papua "should be seen as a way to try and intimidate civil society groups into not taking part as the rallies can be an effective way of bringing the world's attention to what West Papuans suffer under Indonesian rule".

"This is what Jakarta fears most, the internationalisation of the issue," he said.

The situation in the territory 64 years after the New York Agreement

"West Papuans continue to be arrested and intimidated as they take part in rallies to protest against the injustices they suffer under Indonesian rule," the Association said.

Human Rights Monitor notes that as a result of ongoing military operations in the territory there are more than 125,931 internal refugees.

"Civilians are bearing the brunt in the areas of conflict with children missing out on education because schools are closed, access to health services for people can be difficult and economic activity is paralysed. West Papua is basically a colony of Jakarta," the Australia West Papua Association said.

According to a Project Multatuli investigation, there are approximately 103,196 security forces (Military +police) in the territory.

West Papuans have also reported that they are not seeing more military personnel deployed in the territory and to see the use of drone technology by the Indonesian military.

There is also the "massive" environmental destruction caused by agricultural projects, such as the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) and projects to convert forests, into rice fields, sugarcane and palm oil plantations, the Australia West Papua Association noted.

The world must take action

"If the International community continue to turn a blind eye to the human rights abuses in West Papua, we will see an endless conflict with West Papuans the victims," the organisation said.

"The Australian Government prefers to ignore the situation in West Papua. However, a simple action Canberra could do is to support and urge the Pacific Islands Forum leaders in again pressing Jakarta to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua to investigate the human rights situation in the territory. That is what they West Papuans are asking for," Mr Collins said.

The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) will be held from 30 August to 04 September 2026 in Palau under the theme - Building Economies: Life. Action. Unity.