Transmigration to West Papua Explained

Transmigration, active since the 1960s, has shifted demographics, with non-Papuans comprising 30–50% in urban centers like Timika, often dominating trade. This fuels perceptions of marginalization. However, the program, slowed since the 1990s, aimed to develop Papua’s economy and address Java’s overpopulation, not solely to suppress Papuan identity. Many second-generation migrants identify as Papuan, and interracial marriages promote integration. The Special Autonomy Law (2001) and new autonomous regions in 2022 empower Indigenous governance, though implementation varies. Cultural initiatives, like the Baliem Valley Festival and the Papuan Hope Language Institute, actively preserve Papuan traditions, countering claims of deliberate erasure.

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What Is Genocide? A Legal Definition

According to the 1948 UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, genocide refers to acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, such as killing, causing serious harm, or imposing conditions intended to destroy the group.

No credible UN body or international tribunal has accused Indonesia of meeting this standard in West Papua. While there are concerns about excessive use of force in certain operations and unresolved cases of abuse, these do not constitute genocide under international law.

Source: West Papua