Western New Guinea

The region of West New Guinea is the western half of the island of New Guinea or Papua, and has also been known as Irian Jaya or West Papua. A part of Indonesia since 1963, the region contains the provinces of West Irian Jaya and Papua, which shares its eastern border with the nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Culture

West Papuan culture was forcibly repressed under the forty years of Indonesian rule since 1963. Only in 2001 was Papua Province granted special autonomy by the Indonesian government, opening the possibility of developing indigenous cultural production and arts venues.

Related Topics:
Indonesia - 1963 - Cultural production

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However, in March 2003 John Rumbiak, West Papua's famous human rights investigator, stated that Papuan culture will "will be extinct," within 10 to 20 years if the present rate of assimilation in the region continues.http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/02/26/1046064103643.html

Related Topics:
John Rumbiak - West Papua - Human rights

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The Indonesian government states that the special autonomy arrangement specifically addresses the ongoing preservation of Papua culture, and that the transmigration program was "designed specifically to help the locals through knowledge transfer".http://www.kbri-canberra.org.au/letoe/2003/030303b.htm

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