62-684: Wamena , also known as the District of Wamena , is a large town in the Western New Guinea region of Indonesia . It also serves as the seat of Jayawijaya Regency . It is the largest town in the province of Highland Papua , located in the Baliem Valley and had a population of 64,967 in the 2020 Census; the official estimate in mid 2023 was 66,080. Wamena is the urban centre of a rural area housing Highland Papua's highest concentration of population, with over 300,000 people inhabiting
124-464: A broader variety of fresh fruits and vegetables than other regions in Papua. On early 6 June 2013, a modern market was built in the town center to allow traditional farmers to sell their harvests at a proper price. Because of its relatively isolated location, the main form of access to the area is air travel. The town and the surrounding valley are served by the only Wamena Airport , which can accommodate
186-484: A political orientation when choosing a name for the western half of the island of New Guinea . The official name of the region is "Papua" according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Independence activists refer to the region as " West Papua ", while Indonesian officials have also used " West Papua " to name the western province of the region since 2007. Historically,
248-547: A steady supply of rain from the tropical atmosphere. The tree line is around 4,000 m (13,100 ft) and the tallest peaks feature small glaciers and are snowbound year-round. Both north and west of the central ranges, the land remains mountainous – mostly 1,000 to 2,000 metres (3,300 to 6,600 feet) high with a warm humid climate year-round. The highland areas feature alpine grasslands, jagged bare peaks, montane forests , rainforests, fast-flowing rivers, and gorges. Swamps and low-lying alluvial plains with fertile soil dominate
310-422: Is Indonesian , with Papuan Malay the most used lingua franca . Estimates of the number of local languages in the region range from 200 to over 700, with the most widely spoken including Dani , Yali , Ekari and Biak . The predominant official religion is Christianity , followed by Islam . The main industries include agriculture , fishing , oil production , and mining . Speakers align themselves with
372-533: Is also a substantial practice of animism among the major religions, but this is not recorded by the census. There are 6 main Y-chromosome haplogroups in Western New Guinea; Y-chromosome haplogroup M , Y-chromosome haplogroup O , and Y-chromosome haplogroup S across the mountain highlands; meanwhile, D, C2 and C4 are of negligible numbers. Papuans have significant cultural affinities with
434-492: Is an airport serving the town of Wamena , Jayawijaya Regency , Highland Papua , Indonesia. The airport also serves the neighboring Lanny Jaya Regency and Tolikara Regency . It is currently the only airport in the highland region of Papua that can accommodate narrow-body aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and C-130 Hercules . Recently, a new terminal was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo . The new terminal, which resembles
496-417: Is densely settled and has extreme rates of HIV infection , with a claim of 5,100 cases recorded by Antara . On 16 June 2015, Jayawijaya regional secretary Yohanis Walilo rectified the total HIV cases to 4,521 HIV cases. [REDACTED] Media related to Wamena at Wikimedia Commons Western New Guinea Western New Guinea , also known as Papua , Indonesian New Guinea , and Indonesian Papua ,
558-552: Is predominantly covered with rainforest where traditional peoples live, including the Dani of the Baliem Valley . A large proportion of the population live in or near coastal areas. The largest city is Jayapura . In the late 1940s, territories of the Dutch East Indies became the independent country of Indonesia , except Western New Guinea. The Dutch retained sovereignty over Western New Guinea ( Dutch New Guinea ) until
620-629: Is the western half of the island of New Guinea , formerly Dutch and granted to Indonesia in 1962. Given the island is alternatively named Papua, the region is also called West Papua ( Indonesian : Papua Barat ). Lying to the west of Papua New Guinea and geographically a part of the Australian continent , the territory is almost entirely in the Southern Hemisphere and includes the Biak and Raja Ampat archipelagoes. The region
682-646: The Amung - Damal , Bauzi , Biak (or Byak), Korowai , Lani , Mee , Mek , Sawi , and Yali . Estimates of the number of distinct languages spoken in the region range from 200 to 700. A number of these languages are permanently disappearing. As in Papua New Guinea and some surrounding east Indonesian provinces, a large majority of the population is Christian. In the 2010 census, 65.48% identified themselves as Protestant, 17.67% as Catholic, 15.89% as Muslim, and less than 1% as either Hindu or Buddhist. There
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#1732772832630744-611: The Asmat people . Lying in the Asia-Australian transition zone near Wallacea , the region's flora and fauna include Asiatic, Australian, and endemic species. The region is 75% forest and has a high degree of biodiversity. The island has an estimated 16,000 species of plants, 124 genera of which are endemic. The mountainous areas and the north are covered with dense rainforest. Highland vegetation also includes alpine grasslands, heath, pine forests, bush and scrub. The vegetation of
806-530: The Bird's Head Peninsula and surrounding islands to its west. In 2011, Indonesia submitted an application for membership to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) for the two Papua provinces (as well as 3 other melanesian dominated provinces) and was granted observer status. The West Papua National Council for Liberation independence movement made an unsuccessful application for membership to
868-597: The Bird's Head Peninsula , each of which had over 100,000 inhabitants in 2022. The region is home to around 312 different tribes, including some uncontacted peoples . The Dani (or Hubula) , from the Baliem Valley , are one of the most populous tribes of the region. The Arfak in Arfak Mountains , and the Marind from Merauke. The semi-nomadic Asmat inhabit the mangrove and tidal river areas near Agats and are renowned for their woodcarving. Other tribes include
930-584: The Morning Star flag raised on 1 December, with independence planned in exactly nine years' time. Sukarno made the takeover of Western New Guinea a focus of his continuing struggle against Dutch imperialism and part of a broader Third World conflict with the West. Although Indonesian seaborne and paratroop incursions into the territory met with little success, the Dutch knew that a military campaign to retain
992-537: The Netherlands recognised Indonesian sovereignty over the Dutch East Indies with the exception of Dutch New Guinea , the issue of which was to be discussed within a year. The Dutch successfully argued that Western New Guinea was "geographically very different" from Indonesia and the people were also very ethnically different. In an attempt to prevent Indonesia taking control of the region and to prepare
1054-756: The New York Agreement on 15 August 1962, which granted the region to Indonesia. The region became the province of Irian Barat (West Irian) before being renamed Irian Jaya (literally "Glorious Irian") in 1973 and Papua in 2002. The following year, a second province was created from the western part of Papua Province; this was called West Papua , with its administrative capital as Manokwari . Both provinces were granted special autonomous status by Indonesian legislation . In November 2022 three additional provinces were created from parts of Papua Province – Central Papua , Highland Papua , and South Papua – while another additional province, Southwest Papua ,
1116-463: The TNI's Hercules airplanes . Dimonim Air, Trigana Air, Aviastar Mandiri, Susi Air , Merpati and Wings Air serve the airport. The airport was razed by fire on 26 September 2011; all buildings including the departure and arrival terminals were engulfed by fire. Parts of Trans-Papua Highway is passing Wamena, linking the town by road with cities across Papua such as Jayapura. The largely Papuan town
1178-627: The Teluk Cenderawasih National Park . Western New Guinea is currently administered as six Indonesian provinces: Papuan habitation of the region is estimated to have begun between 42,000 and 48,000 years ago. Research indicates that the highlands were an early and independent center of agriculture, and show that agriculture developed gradually over several thousands of years; the banana has been cultivated in this region for at least 7,000 years. Austronesian peoples migrating through Maritime Southeast Asia settled in
1240-605: The Baliem Valley and surrounding areas. These people belong to several related ethnic groups, the most prominent of which are the Dani , Lani , and Yali . The town is also home to the Persiwa Wamena football team, which played in the Indonesian Super League until the early 2010s. As far as the outside world was concerned, the discovery of the Baliem Valley , where Wamena is located, and
1302-644: The MSG in 2013 after which the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) was established in December 2014 to unite the three main political independence movements under a single umbrella organisation. In June 2015, the ULMWP was granted MSG observer status as representative of West Papuans outside the country while Indonesia was upgraded to associate member. In 2016, at the 71st Session of
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#17327728326301364-698: The Philippines. Papuan men and resources were used to support the Allied war effort in the Pacific. After the war's end, the Dutch regained possession of the region. Since the early twentieth century, Indonesian nationalists had sought an independent Indonesia based on all Dutch colonial possessions in the Indies, including western New Guinea. Some even founded local-based political parties, such as Indonesian Irian Independence Party (PKII) in 1946. In December 1949,
1426-644: The UN General Assembly , leaders of several Pacific Island countries called for UN action on alleged human rights abuses committed against Papua's indigenous Melanesians, with some leaders calling for self-determination for West Papua. Indonesia accused the countries of interfering with Indonesia's national sovereignty. In 2017, at the 72nd Session , the leaders called again for an investigation into killings and various alleged human rights abuses by Indonesian security forces. The 2019 Papua protests began on 19 August 2019, and mainly took place across
1488-508: The area at least 3,000 years ago, and populated especially in Cenderawasih Bay . Diverse cultures and languages have developed in situ; there are over 300 languages and two hundred additional dialects in the region ( see Papuan languages , Austronesian languages , Central–Eastern Malayo-Polynesian languages ). The 14th-century Majapahit poem Nagarakretagama mentioned Wwanin or Onin and Sran as recognized territories in
1550-400: The area's rich oil reserves in the 1930s. In 1942, the northern coast of West New Guinea and the nearby islands were occupied by Japan . In 1944, Allied forces gained control of the region through a four-phase campaign from neighbouring Papua New Guinea. The United States constructed a headquarters for MacArthur at Hollandia (Jayapura), intended as a staging point for operations to retake
1612-1020: The border with Papua New Guinea follows the 141st meridian east until it reaches the Fly River . The island of New Guinea was once part of the Australian landmass and lay on the continent of Sahul . The collision between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Pacific Plate resulted in the formation of the Maoke Mountains , which run through the centre of the region and are 600 km (373 mi) long and 100 km (62 mi) across. The range includes about ten peaks over 4,000 metres (13,000 feet), including Puncak Jaya (4,884 m or 16,024 ft), Puncak Mandala (4,760 m or 15,620 ft) and Puncak Trikora (4,750 m or 15,580 ft). This range ensures
1674-727: The city. A Kompas correspondent in Wamena reported that gunshots sounded across the city and that civilians primarily migrants were taking shelter in police stations, military bases, local Papuan homes, and churches. Out of the 16 civilians killed, 13 had come from outside the province, and most deaths occurred as they were trapped in buildings torched by the angry mob. Later independence investigation by The Jakarta Post and local media Tabloid Jubi, revealed civilian victims were likely to be higher than official counts. Perpetrators were likely not local Wamenan and were too old to be students even though wearing high school uniforms. Racism incidents that
1736-477: The democratic culture of the Papuan people themselves at the time, there was a system known as noken , within a community in the central highlands of Papua, in which the vote is represented by the tribal chief. Soon after, as of United Nations Resolution 2504 (XXIV) the region became the 26th province of Indonesia. The 1969 Act of Free Choice is considered contentious, with even United Nations observers recognizing
1798-544: The east, today identified as Onin peninsula in Fakfak Regency in the western part of the larger Bomberai Peninsula south of the Bird's Head region of Western New Guinea. Wwanin or Onin was probably the oldest name in recorded history to refer to the western part of the island of New Guinea. Meanwhile Sran refer to an ancient local kingdom of Sran Eman Muun , located in the southern part of Bomberai Peninsula called Koiwai (modern day Kaimana Regency ), which
1860-627: The elders were placed under duress and forced to vote yes. The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has engaged in a pro-independence conflict with the Indonesian military since the 1960s. This has been in response to the initial take over of the region and multiple killings and other human rights violations by Indonesian troops, causing many West Papuans and international organisations to describe the situation in West Papua as "genocide". Rebellions occurred in remote mountainous areas in 1969, 1977, and
1922-595: The end of the sixteenth century, the Sultanate of Ternate under Sultan Baabullah (1570–1583) had influence over parts of Papua. In 1660, the Dutch recognised the Sultan of Tidore 's sovereignty over New Guinea . New Guinea thus became notionally Dutch as the Dutch held power over Tidore. In 1793, Britain established a settlement near Manokwari . However, it failed. By 1824 Britain and the Netherlands agreed that
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1984-474: The equatorial glacier fields remain largely unexplored. In February 2005, a team of scientists exploring the Foja Mountains discovered numerous new species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, and plants, including a species of rhododendron that may have the largest bloom of the genus. Environmental issues include deforestation, the spread of the introduced crab-eating macaque , which now threatens
2046-618: The existence of native species, and discarded copper and gold tailings from the Grasberg mine . The Bird's Head Peninsula , also known as the Doberai Peninsula, is covered by the Vogelkop montanerainforests ecoregion . It includes more than 22,000 km of montane forests at elevations of 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and higher. Over 50% of these forests are located within protected areas. There are over 300 bird species on
2108-543: The highlands, the koteka (penis gourd) is worn by males in ceremonies. The use of the holim (Dani's koteka) as everyday dress by Dani males in Western New Guinea is uncommon. As of 2019, it is estimated that only 10% highland population (in Central Papua and Highland Papua ) regularly uses koteka, and it is only used during cultural festival or as a souvenir. A culture of inter-tribal warfare and animosity between neighboring tribes has long been present in
2170-491: The highlands. The Indonesian government is very strict in giving foreign journalists permission to enter Western New Guinea, considering that this region is very vulnerable to separatist movements. As formerly in East Timor, Indonesia's former territory, the Indonesian administration takes great efforts to filter the information that gets out of Western New Guinea. However, there is no prohibition for journalists to go to
2232-554: The inhabitants of Papua New Guinea. As in Papua New Guinea, the peoples of the highlands have traditions and languages distinct from the peoples of the coast. Example being sago as the staple food of the coastal Papuans, a tradition shared with many people in the Eastern Indonesia , while in the highlands where sago do not grow, tubers ( sweet potato , yam , and taro ) are the staple foods. In some parts of
2294-617: The mid-1980s, occasionally spilling over into Papua New Guinea . In 1980, the Trans Irian Jaya Highway, currently Trans-Papua Highway , began construction. The highway would link unconnected cities and regions across the region, which were previously only accessible by sea or, for inland areas, by air. However, some experts suggested prioritizing development of local indigenous people over infrastructure development in order to be parallel with non-Papuan migrants, who were progressively inhabiting Western New Guinea's cities at
2356-467: The peninsula, of which at least 20 are unique to the ecoregion, and some live only in very restricted areas. These include the grey-banded munia , Vogelkop bowerbird , and the king bird-of-paradise . Road construction , illegal logging , commercial agricultural expansion , and ranching potentially threaten the integrity of the ecoregion. The southeastern coast of the Bird's Head Peninsula forms part of
2418-400: The process, torture and destruction of properties by the Indonesian army were also reported. During the 2019 Papua protests , several government buildings were destroyed by an angry mob, after which the police and the military retaliated, leaving 16 civilians killed and 65 injured. According to local authorities, the particular set of protests was triggered by a separate racism incident within
2480-608: The region Ilhas dos Papuas (Islands of Papuans). In 1545 the Spaniard Yñigo Ortiz de Retez sailed along the north coast as far as the Mamberamo River near which he landed, naming the island Nueva Guinea . In 1606 Portuguese navigator Luís Vaz de Torres sailed in the name of Spain along the southwestern part of the island in present-day Papua , and also claimed the territory for the King of Spain. Near
2542-420: The region for independence, the Dutch significantly raised development spending from its low base, began investing in Papuan education, and encouraged Papuan nationalism. A small western elite developed with a growing political awareness attuned to the idea of Papuan independence, with close links to neighbouring eastern New Guinea, which was administered by Australia. A national parliament was elected in 1961 and
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2604-640: The region has had the official names of Netherlands New Guinea (1895–1962), West New Guinea or West Irian (1962–1973), Irian Jaya (1973–2002), and Papua (2002–present). The expected Indonesian translation of "Western New Guinea", Nugini Barat , is currently only used in historical contexts such as kampanye Nugini Barat " Western New Guinea campaign ". The region is 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) from east to west and 736 kilometres (457 miles) from north to south. It has an area of 412,214.61 square kilometres (159,157 square miles ), which equates to approximately 22% of Indonesia's land area. The northern part of
2666-522: The region in response to the arrests of 43 Papuan students in Surabaya for allegedly disrespecting the Indonesian flag . In July 2022 three additional provinces were created from parts of the existing Papua Province. The new provinces were Central Papua , Highland Papua and South Papua . In November 2022, Southwest Papua was created from the western part of West Papua Province. Thus, including
2728-468: The region would require protracted jungle warfare, and, unwilling to see a repeat of their futile efforts in the armed struggle for Indonesian independence in the 1940s, agreed to American mediation. The United States President John F. Kennedy wrote to the then Dutch Prime Minister Jan de Quay , encouraging the Netherlands to relinquish control of Western New Guinea to Indonesia and warning of Indonesia's potential alliance with communist powers if Sukarno
2790-506: The region. In 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received 11 applications for permission to cover Papua from a number of foreign media. Of 11 requests, five were approved while the other six were rejected. Meanwhile, in 2013, requests for permission to cover Papua by foreign media soared to 28. At that time, the ministry approved 21 letters of application and rejected the other seven. The process of admitting foreign press and NGOs, which
2852-419: The residual West Papua Province and Papua Province, there were then six provinces covering Western New Guinea. The population of the region was estimated to be 5,601,888 in mid 2022. The interior is predominantly populated by ethnic Papuans while coastal towns are inhabited by descendants of intermarriages between Papuans, Melanesians, and Austronesians, including other Indonesian ethnic groups. Migrants from
2914-529: The rest of Indonesia also tend to inhabit the coastal regions. The largest cities in the territory are Jayapura in the region's northeast, and Sorong in the northwest of the Bird's Head Peninsula . By 2022 Jayapura had a population of over 400,000 and Sorong nearly 300,000; other major towns are Timika and Nabire in Central Papua, Merauke in South Papua, and Manokwari in the northeast of
2976-536: The south coast includes mangroves and sago palms and in the drier southeastern section, eucalypts, paperbarks, and acacias. Marsupial species dominate the region; there are an estimated 70 marsupial species (including possums , wallabies , tree-kangaroos , and cuscus ), and 180 other mammal species (including the endangered long-beaked echidna ). The region is the only part of Indonesia to have kangaroos, marsupial mice, bandicoots, and ring-tailed possums. The approximately 700 bird species include cassowaries (along
3038-543: The southeastern section around the town of Merauke . Swamps also extend 300 kilometres (190 miles) around the Asmat region. The Mamberamo River is the region's largest and runs through the length of Papua Province. The result is a large area of lakes and rivers known as the Lakes Plains region. The southern lowlands, habitats of which included mangrove, tidal and freshwater swamp forest, and lowland rainforest, are home to populations of fishermen and gatherers such as
3100-701: The southern coastal areas), bowerbirds , kingfishers , crowned pigeons , parrots, and cockatoos . Approximately 450 of these species are endemic. Birds-of-paradise can be found in Kepala Burung and Yapen . The region is also home to around 800 species of spiders, 200 frogs, 30,000 beetles, and 70 bats, as well as one of the world's longest lizards (the Papuan monitor ) and some of the world's largest butterflies. The waterways and wetlands of Papua provide habitat for salt and freshwater crocodiles , tree monitors, flying foxes , ospreys , and other animals, while
3162-521: The terms of the New York Agreement , all Western New Guinean men and women were to be given a plebiscite; this was to be called the Act of Free Choice . However, when the act was due to take place under the new president Suharto , the Indonesian government used a musyawarah or traditional consensus to decide the region's status. The 1,026 elders were hand-picked by the Indonesian government and many were coerced into voting for union with Indonesia. However, in
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#17327728326303224-444: The time. In the post-Suharto era , the national government began a process of decentralisation of the provinces, including, in December 2001, a special autonomy status for Papua province and a reinvestment into the region of 80% of the taxation receipts generated by the region, in addition of special autonomy fund. In 2003, a new province of West Papua was created from the western regencies of Papua (province) , comprising lands in
3286-459: The town in early October. Going the opposite direction, around 2,000 Papuan students returned from other cities across Indonesia to their home towns and cities, reporting a feeling of intimidation and danger. On 23 February 2023, around ten civilians were killed in a riot arising from a kidnapping accusation . Wamena features a tropical rainforest climate ( Köppen Af ), albeit a relatively mild version due to its high altitude. Wamena claims
3348-481: The traditional Papuan home honai , was inaugurated on 30 December 2015. The new terminal which has an area of 4.000 m2 replaced the old run-down terminal which only has an area of 965 m2. Moreover, the runway is also being extended from 2,175 m to 2,400 m. Further improvement involves the building of a parallel taxiway in the airport. Facilities of the new terminal include 5 counter check-in, new boarding lounge with air conditioning, larger toilet and more seats in
3410-455: The unexpected presence of its large agricultural population was made by Richard Archbold ’s third zoological expedition to New Guinea in 1938. On 21 June an aerial reconnaissance flight southwards from Hollandia (now Jayapura ) found what the expedition called the ‘Grand Valley’. Since it was almost completely cut off from the outside world, the area was spared by the fighting for the control of New Guinea during World War II . The town itself
3472-433: The western half of the island would become part of the Dutch East Indies . In 1828 the Dutch established the settlement of Fort Du Bus at Lobo (near Kaimana ), which also failed. Great Britain and Germany had recognised the Dutch claims on western New Guinea in treaties of 1885 and 1895. Dutch activity in the region remained minimal in the first half of the twentieth century. Dutch, US, and Japanese mining companies explored
3534-403: Was claimed to have happened in Wamena and spread through social media are also likely to be misinformation or even disinformation . Responding to the protests, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology reactivated the internet blackout in Wamena. Owing to the rioting and unrest, around 15,000 civilians were evacuated from Wamena, with a further 1,726 internally displaced within
3596-432: Was created from part of West Papua Province; these received the same special autonomous status as (the residual) West Papua and Papua Provinces, the latter now reduced to northern Papua and the groups of islands in Cenderawasih Bay . In 2020, West Papua and Papua provinces had a census population of 5,437,775, the majority of whom are indigenous ; the official estimate as of mid-2022 was 5,601,888. The official language
3658-726: Was founded by the Dutch in 1956, as one of the last towns founded during their presence in Western New Guinea . Since then the valley has gradually been opened up to a limited amount of tourism. In 2003, during what would be called afterward the Wamena incident , an unidentified mob led by the Free Papua Movement raided the Indonesian Army 's armoury of the town, killing two Indonesian soldiers and stealing several assault rifles. Reprisals were harsh, affecting 25 villages, displacing around 7,000 villagers, and killing 50 in
3720-497: Was not appeased. The negotiations resulted in the UN-ratified New York Agreement of September 1962, which transferred administration to a United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) and proposed that the administration could be assumed by Indonesia until such time as a plebiscite could be organized to allow Papuans to determine whether they wanted independence or union with Indonesia. Under
3782-645: Was previously complicated, began to be facilitated in 2015. Kompas.com explained that Jokowi officially revoked the ban on foreign journalists from entering Papua. According to him, Papua is the same as other regions of Indonesia. However, as of today foreign journalists are still required to apply for permission to enter Papua through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 4°00′S 136°00′E / 4.000°S 136.000°E / -4.000; 136.000 Wamena Airport Wamena Airport ( Indonesian : Bandar Udara Wamena ) ( IATA : WMX , ICAO : WAVV )
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#17327728326303844-549: Was the predecessor of local Papuan kingdoms in the area. In 1526–27, the Portuguese explorer Jorge de Menezes accidentally came upon the principal island in the Biak archipelago and is credited with naming it Papua , from a Malay word pepuah , for the frizzled quality of Melanesian hair. Heading east, he eventually reported the northern coast of the Bird's Head Peninsula and the Waigeo Island , and named
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