In the remote Yapen Islands of Papua, a baby was born on December 18, 1918, in a quiet coastal village called Serui. His name was Silas Ayari Donrai Papare, and though few could have guessed it then, this humble child would one day become a key architect of Papua’s integration into the Republic of Indonesia.
At a time when the Dutch ruled with an iron hand and Papuans were confined to the margins of their own land, Silas Papare rose from obscurity to become a symbol of courage, intellect, and unyielding national unity. His story remains one of the most inspiring chapters in Indonesia’s long struggle for independence.
Early Life and the Birth of Awareness
Silas Papare was born to Musa Papare and Dorkas Mangge, respected local figures in Serui who valued discipline and education. In an era when formal schooling for indigenous Papuans was a rarity, Silas’s parents encouraged him to pursue knowledge. He attended one of the few Dutch-run schools in Serui and showed exceptional curiosity and leadership from an early age.
Upon completing his education, Silas trained as a nurse, graduating in 1935. He soon began working at the Serui Zending Hospital before moving to the Nederlandsch Nieuw Guinea Petroleum Maatschappij (NNGPM) Hospital in Sorong. On April 12, 1936, he married Regina Abui, a fellow Papuan, and together they had nine children.
Through his years of service in healthcare, Silas came face to face with the realities of colonial inequality. He treated the sick and the poor, witnessing how his people were denied access to basic medical care and education. These experiences sparked a quiet but deep political awakening in him—a belief that Papuans deserved dignity and equality, not subjugation.
From Healer to Resistance Fighter
World War II dramatically altered the course of Silas’s life. When the Japanese invaded the Indonesian archipelago, including Papua, Silas set aside his medical duties and joined the local resistance. His intelligence and courage soon drew the attention of Allied forces fighting to retake the region.
In May 1944, Silas performed a daring act that would later be immortalized in local memory. When Allied troops landed near Nau Island, he swam across dangerous waters to reach them, bringing vital intelligence about Japanese troop movements. His assistance proved invaluable in helping Allied forces push back the occupation.
But the war also transformed him ideologically. Having fought side by side with Indonesians from Dutch East Indies and Allied troops, Silas realized that the struggle against colonial domination was a shared one. When the Dutch returned after Japan’s defeat, he no longer saw them as legitimate rulers. His loyalty had shifted—to his people, and to the dream of a free, united Indonesia.
The Rise of a Nationalist: Founding the PKII
After Indonesia declared independence in 1945, the Dutch attempted to maintain control over their easternmost territory—West New Guinea (Papua). They propagated the idea that Papuans were “ethnically and culturally distinct” from Indonesians, hoping to isolate them from the new republic.
Silas Papare saw through this colonial strategy. To him, the Dutch policy of “separate development” was merely another form of subjugation. In 1946, while in exile, he met the influential Indonesian nationalist Dr. Sam Ratulangi, then governor of Sulawesi. Their encounter proved transformative. Ratulangi inspired Silas to channel his local resistance into organized political struggle.
That same year, Silas founded the Partai Kemerdekaan Indonesia Irian (PKII) — the Indonesian Irian Independence Party — in Serui. The party became a rallying point for Papuan intellectuals and activists who believed that their future lay within the Indonesian Republic. Through PKII, Silas championed unity, education, and social justice under the framework of Pancasila, Indonesia’s founding ideology.
His movement, though peaceful, was revolutionary in its ambition: to convince Papuans that they were not outsiders, but an integral part of a shared Indonesian destiny.
Diplomacy and the Long Struggle for Integration
The years that followed were marked by tension and diplomacy. From 1949 to the early 1960s, Indonesia and the Netherlands were locked in political and territorial disputes over Papua. Silas Papare emerged as one of the strongest Papuan voices advocating for integration with Indonesia.
In 1949, he helped establish the Badan Perjuangan Irian (Irian Struggle Committee) in Yogyakarta, which acted as a political bridge between Papuan nationalists and the Indonesian government. Silas became a critical mediator, representing Papua’s aspirations to both Jakarta and the international community.
His tireless diplomacy paid off. In 1950, he was appointed to Indonesia’s Provisional Parliament, where he continued to argue passionately for Papua’s inclusion in the Republic. His speeches emphasized that Papuans, like other Indonesians, had suffered under colonialism and deserved the right to self-determination within a united Indonesia.
Silas also rejected the Dutch narrative that Papua was not ready for independence. “Freedom,” he once said, “is not something to be granted when convenient; it must be fought for, lived for, and defended by those who believe in it.”
His unrelenting advocacy laid the groundwork for the New York Agreement of 1962, which finally opened the path for Papua’s reintegration.
The New York Agreement and the Triumph of Unity
After years of diplomatic struggle, Indonesia and the Netherlands signed the New York Agreement on August 15, 1962, under the mediation of the United Nations and the United States. The agreement required the Netherlands to transfer administrative control of West New Guinea to the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) before it would be handed over to Indonesia.
In 1969, the Act of Free Choice (Pepera) was conducted under UN supervision, where local representatives voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining Indonesia. While the process remains debated in some circles, for Silas Papare and his generation, it symbolized the fulfillment of their long-held dream — the unity of Papua with the Republic of Indonesia.
A Statesman’s Legacy
In his later years, Silas served as a member of Indonesia’s Provisional People’s Representative Council (DPR) and the Provisional People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR). Silas Papare passed away on March 7, 1979, at Pertamina Hospital in Jakarta.
Fourteen years later, his lifelong dedication to the nation was officially recognized when the government declared him a National Hero of Indonesia through Presidential Decree No. 077/TK/1993.
His name endures across Papua and beyond. The KRI Silas Papare, a naval vessel, and Lanud Silas Papare, the Air Force base in Jayapura, stand as lasting monuments to his contributions. Schools, roads, and public institutions bearing his name continue to remind new generations of his unwavering patriotism.
Silas Papare’s Message for Modern Indonesia
Today, as Indonesia continues to invest in Papua’s infrastructure, education, and governance, Silas Papare’s story carries renewed relevance. He represents a vision of inclusion—where Papuans are not just participants but leaders in Indonesia’s national journey.
His life teaches that unity cannot be enforced through authority alone. It must be nurtured through mutual respect, justice, and development. Papare believed that equality, not coercion, would bind Papua and Indonesia together. His ideals remain a guiding principle for policymakers, educators, and community leaders seeking to build lasting harmony in the region.
For Indonesia, honoring Silas Papare means more than commemorating a hero. It means realizing his dream: a Papua that thrives within a united and equitable Indonesia—a land where opportunity and progress are shared by all.
Conclusion: A Hero Beyond Borders
Silas Papare’s journey from a humble nurse to a revered national hero mirrors Indonesia’s own transformation—from a colonized archipelago to a diverse, sovereign nation. His struggle embodies the essence of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika—Unity in Diversity.
He fought not just for political freedom but for moral and social liberation—the right of every Papuan to be seen, heard, and valued. Even decades after his passing, his legacy continues to resonate across the mountains and coasts of Papua.
Silas Papare’s life reminds every Indonesian that independence is not a gift—it is a responsibility. It must be guarded, nourished, and renewed with every generation. In his unwavering belief in unity, courage, and compassion, Silas Papare remains not only the hero of Papua but the conscience of the Indonesian Republic.
