UN General Assembly
1961

' 62, To Indonesia, this political expediency of the Netherlands meant that the whole Indonesian people— numbering about 70 million at that time—would freely enjoy the independence of their country, except the 1 percent, about 700,000, living in West Irian. But we took some comfort from the fact that this setback could soon be corrected, by negotiations with the Netherlands Government within one year. Never was there a demand by the people of West Irian—to the Netherlands Government or to the Indonesian Government—for separation or secession in favour of any other country. Why should they have made such a demand? 68. In fact, the population of West Irian participated fully in the defence of the Independence Proclamation of 17 August 1945. It is true that they were partially suppressed after Netherlands troops had reoccupied that territory, but, nevertheless, their sentiments as part of a great Indonesia were never in doubt. The local leaders of West Irian were happy that Indonesia, their own country—of which West Irian had been part for centuries—had become a free, independent country.