VIVAnews - Nicolas Jouwe, one of the Free Papua Movement (OPM) leaders, came to Papua, Indonesia. Jouwe returned to his homeland after years living in the Netherlands.
"We consider that his visit is in the context of reconciliation," Teuku Faizasyah, spokesperson of the Department of Foreign Affairs, told VIVAnews on Thursday, March 19.
In addition to aiming at a reconciliation, Jouwe's arrival to Indonesia is deemed a strong urge to reunite with his family.
"We view [his return] as a sort of homesickness," said Faizasyah.
Jouwe arrived in Papua on Wednesday, March 18. Faizasyah said he has not yet received any information regarding Jouwe's, who is now 86, recent activities at his post-arrival. He went on to say that the office of the Coordinating Minister for Public Welfare should know more information.
Free Papua Movement is a nationalist movement established in 1965, which intended on seizing western Papua's independence from the Indonesian government. Before the Reformation era, the province, now consisting of Papua and West Papua, was named Irian Jaya.
On the first of July 1971, Nicolas Jouwe and two commanders of the movement, Seth Jafeth Raemkorem and Jacob Hendrik Prai, flew the Morning Star flag and proclaimed the establishment of West Papua Republic. Yet, the young republic did not survive long since it was annihilated by the Indonesian military under the late president Soeharto's order not long after its proclamation.
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Translated by: Ariyantri E. Tarman
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