Events

CHAIRPERSON

Dr Michelle Miller, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore

ABSTRACT

West Papua has been called a “Melanesian nation in waiting”. [The Struggle for Self-Determination in West Papua (1969 – Present)] International Centre on Nonviolent Conflict, March 2011, and organizations like the Armed Conflict Location and Events Data Project (ACLED) have reported rises in violence between the state and rebel forces, while movements like Free West Papua Campaign have   widespread internet support. Despite the UNHCR’s call for access to West Papua during its 41^st Universal Periodic Review (November 2022), Jakarta proceeded with plans to further divide its easternmost province into 5 smaller provinces.

Who does West Papua belong to? Is the answer simple and obvious? Do we ignore the bigger picture to decide if self-determination really is the best option, or should Jakarta relook the way it views the Papuan problem?

To understand the complexities of this issue, independence cannot be looked at in a vacuum but in the context of how history, geography, policies, culture, the modern world (or lack of), and even early trade, impact destinies.

Can West Papua make it on its own, and what will it take? Or will it go the way of Timor Leste, with even greater consequences? Kal Muller shares some personal insights after being on the ground and among the people for more than 20 years.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Kal Muller is a writer/photographer and cultural consultant to Freeport Indonesia for 20 years. After obtaining his PhD in French Literature, he travelled to Vanuatu for National Geographic Magazine to document the Land Divers of Pentecost. From 1972 he worked in Indonesia, publishing a series of guidebooks. In 1995, Kal began working with the two land-owning groups of the Freeport mine. It was then he wrote 17 books (7 in Indonesian) about West Papua. Recently, he completed a cultural heritage preservation proposal for the lowlands Kamoro cultural group for the Indonesian government, and a book comparing the two sides of New Guinea for Galda Verlag.

REGISTRATION

Registration is closed, and instructions on how to participate in this seminar has been sent out to registered attendees. Please write to aritm@nus.edu.sg if you would like to attend the event.