How Frans Kaisiepo Supervised the Pepera

Frans Kaisiepo was given the mandate of integrating Papua into Indonesia. He faced tremendous pressure as the referendum approached.

Francisca Christy Rosana

August 14, 2023

IN mid-July 1969, an Indonesian military aircraft flew low in the Hollandia region, now called Jayapura. Amidst the deafening noise, brown papers scattered from the aircraft. The pamphlets announced the result of the Act of Free Choice (Pepera) in the Merauke Regency.

Paulus Rey was still in seventh grade at the YPPK Santo Paulus Abe Middle School when Hollandia was showered by the confetti of pamphlets. He picked up one and read that the Merauk

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