Today, Kampung (Village) Harapan is part of the landscape of Sentani, Jayapura Regency, where modern roads, public facilities, and the Lukas Enembe Stadium have become familiar landmarks. Yet beneath its contemporary identity lies a chapter of Papua’s history that reaches back to the final years of World War II. For a period between 1944 and 1946, this area was known as Kota (City) NICA, a settlement that served as an important center of Dutch colonial administration in New Guinea.
The history of Kota Nica in Kampung Harapan is significant for two reasons. It records the return of Dutch colonial administration following the Allied campaign against Japanese forces in the Pacific, while also documenting the development of educational institutions that helped shape a generation of Papuan public figures. Among those associated with the area’s educational history was Frans Kaisiepo, later recognized as a national hero of Indonesia.
The settlement’s story also reflects the political transition that eventually brought Papua under Indonesian administration. Its transformation from Kota NICA into Kampung Harapan symbolizes a change in political identity and historical memory. What was once a center of colonial administration gradually became associated with a new national chapter.
Understanding Kota Nica therefore requires looking beyond its former buildings and administrative functions. Its history connects the Pacific War, Dutch colonial policy, education, the Papuan political awakening, and Indonesia’s efforts to establish its presence in the region.
From World War II to the Establishment of Kota NICA
The Allied campaign in New Guinea
The origins of Kota NICA are closely connected to the Pacific theater of World War II. In 1942, Japanese forces occupied Hollandia, the settlement that had served as the Dutch administrative center in the region and is now known as Jayapura.
The situation changed in April 1944, when Allied forces led by the United States launched an operation to retake Hollandia. The campaign was part of a wider military strategy under General Douglas MacArthur to weaken Japanese positions and establish bases for further operations across the Pacific.
The Allied arrival transformed the surrounding area. Military installations, roads, supply facilities, and settlements were developed to support the large-scale operations. Sentani’s airfield became particularly important because it provided a strategic aviation base for Allied forces.
As the Japanese military position weakened, the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration, commonly known by its Dutch abbreviation NICA, returned alongside the Allied forces. Its role was to restore civilian administration in areas taken from Japanese control and prepare the return of Dutch colonial authority.
According to the official historical account published by the Jayapura Regency Government, the Dutch administration relocated the center of government from the Numbay coastal area to the Makanwai plain in 1944. The settlement established there became known as Kota NICA and served as the capital of the New Guinea Residency from 1944 to 1946.
A colonial administrative settlement in the Makanwai Valley
Historical research by Herman Renwarin and John Pattiara, published by Indonesia’s Department of Education and Culture in Sejarah Sosial Daerah Irian Jaya: Dari Hollandia ke Kotabaru (1910–1963), identifies Kota Nica as a settlement established by the Dutch colonial administration in the Makanwai Valley, approximately 10 kilometers west of the former Allied Camp Walker.
The settlement was not simply a military outpost. It developed into a small administrative center with facilities required to support government operations and personnel.
A historical account published by Stichting Papua Erfgoed describes the former NICA settlement in the Jabau Valley, in the area associated with Assee village between Lake Sentani and Abepura. Its facilities included a government office, hospital, barracks, school, small church, and government guesthouse. A Papuan auxiliary battalion was also accommodated in the settlement.
These facilities illustrate the importance of Kota Nica during the immediate post-war period. The settlement provided a base from which the returning Dutch administration could resume civilian activities while the Allied military presence remained dominant in the wider region.
Its establishment also reflected the complicated political circumstances of the time. The Indonesian Republic had proclaimed independence on August 17, 1945, while the Dutch government continued to pursue its colonial interests in several parts of the former Netherlands East Indies, including New Guinea.
Kota Nica thus became part of a wider struggle over the future political administration of the region.
Education and the Emergence of Papuan Leaders
Papua Bestuur School and the training of young Papuans
One of the most important aspects of Kota Nica’s history was its role in education.
According to historian Petrik Matanasi’s article in Historia, Dutch Resident J.P. van Eechoud established the Papua Bestuur School (PBS), or Papua Civil Service School, to train young Papuans for administrative positions.
The school was intended to prepare local personnel for government service. Students received training that could equip them for administrative duties within the colonial system. In a territory where the Dutch administration needed local officials and assistants, such institutions served an important practical purpose.
However, the historical significance of the school extended beyond its original administrative objective.
Among its students were Frans Kaisiepo and his younger brother, Marcus Kaisiepo. Another notable figure associated with the school was Soegoro Atmoprasodjo, a former political prisoner who had been exiled to the Boven Digoel camp and later became a teacher.
Soegoro’s presence introduced an important dimension to the school’s history. Although the institution had been established to prepare personnel for the Dutch administration, the ideas and discussions circulating within its educational environment also contributed to the development of political awareness among some Papuan students.
Frans Kaisiepo and the growth of Indonesian nationalism
Frans Kaisiepo became one of the most notable figures associated with the political history of Papua and Indonesia.
As reported by Historia, Kaisiepo objected to the school’s original name, Papua Bestuur School, and asked his brother Marcus to replace the sign with the name Irian Bestuur School. The episode, recorded in the biography Pahlawan Nasional Frans Kaisiepo by Pius Suryo Haryono, reflects how questions of identity and political terminology were already being considered by young Papuans at the time.
Kaisiepo’s later political career would take him far beyond the school environment. He became an influential advocate of Indonesia’s presence in Papua and represented the region at the Malino Conference in South Sulawesi in July 1946, where discussions were held concerning the future political structure of Indonesia.
His involvement in national political affairs eventually led to a long public career. He later served as Governor of Irian Jaya during the administration of President Soeharto. Today, his name is commemorated through Frans Kaisiepo International Airport in Biak, reflecting his place in Indonesia’s national history.
The connection between Kota Nica and Kaisiepo’s early education is therefore more than a historical footnote. It demonstrates how an institution established under colonial administration could become part of the wider story of political consciousness and national identity among Papuan leaders.
Kota Nica and the Wider Struggle Against Colonial Rule
The political atmosphere after Indonesia’s independence
The establishment of the Republic of Indonesia in August 1945 did not immediately end the Dutch colonial presence in New Guinea. While the Dutch recognized Indonesian sovereignty over most of the former Netherlands East Indies following the Round Table Conference in 1949, the future status of western New Guinea remained disputed.
This situation created a prolonged political transition. The Dutch administration continued to operate in the territory, while Indonesian leaders maintained their position that the region should become part of the Republic.
Historical research on Hollandia and Kota Baru records that support for Indonesian independence was present among sections of the population in the region. Some residents reportedly raised the Indonesian national flag in defiance of colonial restrictions and listened secretly to Radio Republik Indonesia broadcasts.
The same historical study notes that political discussions about Indonesia’s independence and the future of Irian Barat circulated among communities in Hollandia. The emergence of these activities illustrates that the region’s political history was not shaped solely by decisions made in colonial offices or international diplomatic meetings. Local individuals and communities also participated in the debate over the territory’s future.
In this context, the educational environment associated with Kota Nica and the activities of figures such as Soegoro Atmoprasodjo and Frans Kaisiepo form part of a wider historical narrative about political awareness in Papua.
It is important, however, to recognize that Papuan society at the time was not politically uniform. Different individuals and groups held different views about the future of the territory. A balanced historical account should acknowledge that complexity while recognizing the documented contributions of Papuan figures who supported Indonesia’s national project.
The End of Kota NICA as an Administrative Centre
The government moves to a new location
Kota Nica’s period as a major administrative center was relatively short.
The Allied military presence in Hollandia gradually declined after the defeat of Japan. As military facilities and administrative responsibilities were transferred, the Dutch colonial government began reorganizing its own administrative structure.
The Jayapura Regency Government’s historical chronology records that in March 1946 the administrative center was moved from the Makanwai Valley to Nibi-Abei, the former complex of the United States Seventh Fleet hospital. The new location initially became known as Kota NICA Baru before its name was changed to Kota Baru.
A historical account in the book Sejarah Sosial Daerah Irian Jaya: Dari Hollandia ke Kotabaru also explains that the NICA administration transferred its operations after the Allied forces left the area. The former settlement in the Makanwai Valley consequently lost its role as the center of government.
The physical settlement was later dismantled, with its equipment and service facilities transferred elsewhere. Stichting Papua Erfgoed notes that only concrete terraces remained as traces of the former establishment.
This transformation is one reason why the history of Kota Nica is not immediately visible to visitors today. Unlike a preserved colonial town with intact government buildings, much of its former physical landscape has disappeared or been transformed by subsequent development.
From administrative settlement to agricultural center
After the administrative center moved, the Makanwai Valley gradually acquired a different function.
The historical study by Renwarin and Pattiara records that Kota Nica was used for agricultural staff training in 1951. A year later, the area became an experimental station for agricultural seeds, forestry, and livestock.
The transition from administrative settlement to agricultural center marked a new stage in the area’s development. Its land and facilities were redirected toward activities related to agriculture and research.
Over time, the settlement became known as Kampung Harapan. Historia notes that the change of name took place after Papua became part of the Republic of Indonesia’s administrative territory. The name Kota Nica carried a direct association with Dutch colonial rule, while Kampung Harapan reflected a new Indonesian identity.
The transformation was part of a wider pattern of renaming places across the country as the Indonesian government sought to replace colonial-era names with names reflecting the national language and identity.
From Kampung Harapan to a Modern Landmark in Sentani
Today, Kampung Harapan is part of the development landscape of Jayapura Regency. Its location near Sentani and the main road connecting Jayapura with the surrounding areas gives it continuing strategic importance.
One of its most recognizable modern landmarks is the Lukas Enembe Stadium, which hosted major events during Indonesia’s National Sports Week, known as Pekan Olahraga Nasional or PON XX Papua, in 2021.
The stadium’s presence has brought wider public attention to Kampung Harapan. Visitors who come for sporting events may not realize that the surrounding area once served as an important administrative settlement during the final years of World War II.
The contrast is striking. A location once associated with colonial government offices, military facilities, and civil service education is now identified with contemporary public infrastructure and sporting activities.
This change also offers an opportunity to connect historical awareness with regional development. The story of Kampung Harapan can become part of Jayapura’s cultural and educational identity, helping residents and visitors understand the different periods that shaped the region.
Preserving the History of Kota Nica for Future Generations
The historical significance of Kota Nica deserves greater public recognition. Its story brings together the Pacific War, the return of Dutch colonial administration, the development of education for Papuan youth, and the political transition that eventually brought the region under Indonesian administration.
Yet much of the settlement’s original physical infrastructure has disappeared. Historical accounts indicate that the former government buildings and service facilities were transferred or dismantled after the administrative center moved in 1946. The surviving traces are limited, making written records, photographs, oral histories, and archival research particularly important.
A practical way to preserve this heritage would be to develop historical information panels, educational materials, archival exhibitions, and a clearly documented heritage trail in Kampung Harapan. Such initiatives could explain the location of the former settlement and introduce visitors to the figures and events associated with it.
Local communities, historians, universities, and government institutions could work together to document oral histories and identify any remaining physical traces. Historical preservation should also involve local residents, whose knowledge and connection to the area are essential to understanding its development over time.
The Facebook post supplied by IndonesiaPASt, which reproduces an archival photograph described as showing pupils at a school in Kota Nica, offers another potential avenue for public historical discussion. However, the photograph’s exact date and provenance should be verified through archival records before it is used as definitive evidence in an exhibition or publication.
Conclusion
The story of Kota Nica is an important part of Papua’s historical journey. Established in the Makanwai Valley in 1944, the settlement served as a center of Dutch colonial administration during the immediate post-war period. Its government offices, hospital, barracks, and educational facilities reflected the attempt to restore colonial authority following the Allied campaign against Japanese forces.
But Kota Nica’s legacy cannot be understood through colonial administration alone. Its educational history connects the settlement with Papuan figures such as Frans Kaisiepo and the wider development of political awareness during a period of major change. The school environment, including the influence of teachers such as Soegoro Atmoprasodjo, became part of the story of how ideas about identity and national belonging developed among young Papuans.
The settlement’s administrative role ended after 1946, and its former site gradually became an agricultural center before acquiring the name Kampung Harapan. Today, the area is also associated with modern infrastructure and sporting facilities, including Lukas Enembe Stadium.
For Indonesia, preserving the history of Kota Nica is an opportunity to recognize Papua’s contribution to the country’s national journey while acknowledging the complexity of its colonial past. For the people of Jayapura, it is a reminder that the landscape around them carries stories that deserve to be documented, studied, and passed on.
Kampung Harapan is more than a place name. It is a historical landscape where the legacies of war, colonialism, education, and national transformation meet. Preserving that story will help future generations understand how Papua’s past has shaped the present and how its heritage can contribute to a shared national future.
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