I am proud and salute all our people. For 57 years they have been fighting on their own. For 57 years they have been alone because we allowed fear to dictate our decisions and actions. Today we made and are making a big statement - that our people are not alone.

We are all Papuans - East and West Papuans.

In these 57 years governments of Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Fiji, greater Europe and the United States of America have failed our people because we have left it to our governments.

Today, we the people must stand up and speak about what is in our hearts and minds and not just leave it to governments to decide.

We stand in solidarity with our people of West Papua and assure them they are not alone, that we hear their cries and feel their pain.

We assure them that we will amplify their cries to the governments and people of the world so the world can shift and help them to realise their aspirations.

People have asked me many times, “Governor, how will you be able to take on this mighty challenge and help our people realise their freedom”.

Today I say, only the truth will set our people free and I am here to speak the truth without fear. This is what will see our people free.

Indonesia had a Hindu Buddhist Empire around 375 AD to the 13th century.

The fact is West Papua was never part of such an empire.

In the 13th century, there were a number of Muslim sultanates or empires in the area including Majapahit, Malacca and Tidore. Again the fact is that West Papua was never part of these.

Portugal and the Netherlands started colonising Indonesia around the 16th century.

Initially this started with the Dutch East Indies Company and then the government of Holland took over what was then called the Dutch East Indies. West Papua was never part of that colony.

West Papua only became a colony of the Netherlands in the 1800s, like Papua New Guinea towards the end of the 1800s and start of the 19th century. That is a difference of over 250 years. So, Indonesia and West Papua do not have the same colonial history.

To use the colonial history as basis for incorporating West Papua into the Indonesian Republic is to suggest that Kenya and Zimbabwe should be one country or Laos and Vietnam should be one country or Argentina and Chile should be one country.

This is a ridiculous and very weak basis for justifying incorporation or take-over of West Papua by Indonesia.

During the World War II, Indonesian independence leaders collaborated with the Japanese and when the war was over they fought a war of independence against the Netherlands, gaining independence in 1947.

West Papua never fought a war against Holland. West Papua was never part of the war of liberation against Holland. It was never part of the declaration of independence by Indonesia in 1947.

West Papuans were collaborating with Holland and preparing for independence when they were invaded in 1962. West Papua already had her coat of arms, her flag, her national anthem, and military and police forces.

West Papua already had its own parliament by the time Indonesia invaded in 1962. West Papua was incorporated by fraud into Indonesia in 1969, some 20 years after Indonesia had already declared independence.

We all know the fraud that happened in 1969. The requirement of the law is very clear - one person, one vote. That was the law in 1969 and it remains the law now.

That’s the law we will apply in November in the Bougainville referendum. That’s the law the United Nations applied in East Timor in 1999.

The West Papuans’ preparation for independence is not unusual. We in Papua New Guinea were being prepared for and got independence the same way.

In 1964 we elected the first house of Assembly. Other members were appointed by the colonial government. In 1968 we had the first fully elected House of Assembly. That is when Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and Sir Julius Chan were voted into parliament and the rest is history.

I saw my parents vote in 1968. I was about seven years old and in Standard 1 in primary school.

They voted for independence because they voted for the late Sir Paliau Maloat who stood for independence and nothing else. I know this because in my village the vote was unanimous in favour of Sir Paliau.

By assembling only 1,025 people to vote in 1969, Indonesia was not only breaching the law, it was also insulting the people of West Papua and had no confidence in them from the beginning.

This is the general attitude of the Indonesian government and its people then and today. They believe West Papuans can’t think for themselves and that they don’t have same or better mental capacities.

They believed West Papuans were incapable of deciding their future in 1969. And they cannot run their own country and decide their own future today.

It’s not unusual that they are calling West Papuans as monkeys today. It’s always been Indonesia’s attitude from 1961 until today.

In 1969 when Indonesia conducted its fake vote, the population of West Papua was about one million. Today, some 57 years later, the West Papuan population is about two million. In the same period, the population of Papua New Guinea has gone from 1.5 million in 1969 to almost 10 million now.

This shows that West Papuans have been systematically, by design, neglected, killed and oppressed. This says a lot about the incorporation. It has failed!

Indonesia must come to terms with these facts and begin the process of self-determination. Indonesia will be free of guilt, shame, discrimination and state violence when it frees West Papua. Our regions will live in peace and harmony when we solve and cure this cancerous sore in our relationship.

We are capable of living peacefully and harmoniously with our neighbour Indonesia. We do not hate Indonesia and the Indonesian people but we will never be good neighbours and have a prosperous future while our people continue to be suppressed and treated as animals.

Stand up for peace and dignity, Indonesia. Show the world that you can overcome your demons and mistakes and help us to have a greater future.

Show us that you are a great nation and champion of self-determination. Show us that you are a law abiding nation, by allowing the Papuans to determine their own future in accordance with the law.

Fear of the future will only limit us to remaining in a poor past. Let us all rise above our fear and insecurity. Let us be brave and forge a greater future that is peaceful and prosperous.

Indonesia overcome your fears and insecurities. A great future awaits you if you choose to be brave and resolve this crisis honorably by allowing the Papuans their inalienable rights.

To the governments of the region and the world, fear has not solved any crisis and will never solve this crisis. It is only through bravery and fearlessness that we can solve this problem, by telling the Indonesian government honestly and sincerely what we know and feel in the depth of our hearts.

Otherwise we will continue to live in fear and insecurity forever and we will all miss the opportunity for a greater future together.

Let us just tell the truth and the truth will set our people of West Papua, Indonesia and our region free.