WEST NEW GUINEA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84-00825R000100310002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 8, 2000
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: April 11, 1961
• Content Type: IM

Approved For Release 2000/05/31 : CIA-RDP84-00.825R000100310002-0
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Copy No. 31.0
GEOGRAPHIC
INTELLIGENCE
MEMORANDUM
CIA/RR GM 61-3
II April 1961
WEST NEW GUINEA
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND REPORTS
WARNING
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within
the meaning of the espionage laws, Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or
revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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Introduction
The dispute between Indonesia and The Netherlands over West New Guinea concerns
one of the least-developed lands on earth -- an area of 160,000 square miles, spar-
sely populated by some 700,000 persons, most of whom are still in a stone-age stage
of culture and probably unaware of the controversy over the territory that they
inhabit. Prospects for economic improvement are extremely limited; and, in the
foreseeable future, the colony will probably remain a financial drain upon its ad-
ministering authority. Despite this lack of intrinsic value the governments of
both Indonesia and The Netherlands, in the course of a decade of disputation over
the political status of West New Guinea, have become committed almost irrevocably
to positions that now involve not only national honor but also the personal pres-
tige of the top leadership. These inflexible postures, although essentially the
product of deeply rooted historical and political forces within the contending
countries, are also closely related to the geographical position and unique char-
acter of the territory in dispute.
Dutch interest in the island dates back to 1660, but not until December 1949
did West New Guinea officially become a colony of The Netherlands. As Nederlands-
Nieuw-Guinea, the colony is administered by a Governor who is appointed by and
responsible to the Crown. Paradoxically, the 17,000 Dutch residents of West New
Guinea no longer constitute a vital strategic interest for The Netherlands, and
the Dutch Government has expressed a willingness to relinquish its position in
the colony provided only that the inhabitants are guaranteed self-determination.
The neighboring Republic of Indonesia, on the other hand, views West New Guinea
as a critically strategic area. Since its inception that republic has been plagued
by internal rebellion. Justifiably or not, many of these disturbances (especially
in the South Moluccas) have been attributed to Dutch inspiration and material sup-
port based in West New Guinea. Consequently the Dutch presence there is regarded
as a threat to Indonesian security as well as an affront to Indonesian sovereignty.
For the Australians, who control the eastern half of New Guinea, the possi-
bility of Indonesian control over West New Guinea is of major concern. For gen-
erations, Australians have been apprehensive about the southward pressure of
population masses of Asia. Australian defense policy is, therefore, based upon
the maintenance of friendly powers in the islands between Southeast Asia and the
Australian mainland. Since the nineteenth century, New Guinea has constituted
the keystone of this screen of buffer islands. To Australia, any revision of the
status of West New Guinea at the present time, especially in the direction of
Asian control, is cause for alarm. Furthermore, in the Australian view, the es-
tablishment of West New Guinea as an Indonesian province would open the door to
leftist penetration of heretofore untainted Melanesia and possibly to Indonesian
claims to eastern New Guinea at some future date.
Terrain
West New Guinea consists of a broad "mainland" tapering westward into the
narrow isthmus that links it with the two peninsulas of the Bomberai and the
Vogelkop, which, in turn, are connected by the Bintoeni Isthmus, only 15 miles
in width. The Badja Ampat Groep (island group) located off the west coast of
the Vogelkop east of 129?15'E and north of Ceram, except the island of Gebe,
is administered as part of West New Guinea. East of the Vogelkop are the islands
of Geelvink-bsai (bay), among them Noemfoor, Japen, and the Schouten-eilanden
(islands), including Biak.
The dominant terrain feature of New Guinea is an extremely high mountain system
that trends east-west through the center of the island and extends at lower ele-
vations northwestward into the Vogelkop. In mainland West New Guinea, this rugged
cordillera is generally 80 to 100 miles in width, with several peaks above 15,000
feet and minimum elevations of 10,000 feet maintained for a distance of more than
300 miles without interruption. This mighty barrier divides the mainland into two
parts, with little overland communication between them. Trails through the high-
lands are few and exhausting to traverse. The deeply incised Baliem-rivier (river)
pierces the mountain wall east of Wilhelmina-top (peak); and, farther west, several
trails cross the highlands at 6,000-foot elevations by way of the relatively popu-
lous Wissel-meren (lakes) district.
On the south, the central mountains drop abruptly to a narrow band of lower but
still rugged highlands, which, in turn, slope precipitously to the vast plain of
southern New Guinea. Immediately north of the high peaks, the ranges are aligned
in a series of parallel east-west ridges separated by narrow longitudinal valleys.
On the north the ranges drop off sharply to the flat, swampy Meervlakte Depression.
To the east and west, the ridges become lower until they merge with the low mountain
are of northern West New Guinea.
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PAPUA
(A.-Ii.)
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS
AND URBAN CENTERS
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The triangular-shaped plain that extends southward from the central highlands
to the Arafura Sea is one of the most extensive swamplands in the world. Movement
through this perennially wet lowland is nearly impossible for vehicles and is dif-
ficult even on foot, but a few trails on higher ground serve to link the middle
courses of major streams. In the extreme south, the relatively dry season from
June through October makes possible vehicular movement over the few established
roads and tracks.
Northwestern New Guinea is joined to the main section of the island by a 50-
mile-wide isthmus, a much-subdued extension of the central mountains. Although
slopes are fairly steep and occasional ridges may top 4,000 feet, passes at ele-
vations lower than 2,300 feet are numerous. The main trans-istbmian route links
the head of Etna-baai with the shores of Geelvink-baai, the journey requiring some
6 days. Northward through the narrow Bintoeni Isthmus, the mountains are low and
forested, and the trail across the isthmus is traversable in less than a day.
The Vogelkop, north of the isthmus, consists mainly of rugged mountains, with
summit elevations of over 9,000 feet and very steep slopes. Coastal swamplands in
the south attain a maximum width of about 30 miles and are as difficult to cross
as the more extensive lowlands of southern New Guinea. The swamps, however, are
interrupted by a narrow belt of undulating tableland that usually remains dry.
The only reasonably good roads of the coastal area are in the vicinity of Sorong
and Steenkool; elsewhere, trails constitute the only routes of overland movement.
The Bomberai Peninsula, south of Vogelkop, is unique in West New Guinea in that
much of its interior is relatively level and dry most of the time. The fairly
extensive grasslands of the area are not overly difficult to penetrate.
Transportation
West New Guinea has no railroads and very few roads. Roads and jeepable tracks
are generally limited to the vicinity of the principal urban centers and petroleum-
producing districts. Overland connections between populated areas are almost en-
tirely by means of narrow, forest trails. Unless in constant use, such trails
quickly become overgrown with vegetation and virtually impassable. Well-developed
trail nets are found only in the peninsular northwest and in the Merauke region.
Inland waterways are the principal means of transportation in the undeveloped
interior of the mainland. The natives rely upon flat-bottomed boats to transport
the products of the neighboring forests to nearby villages, but powered craft are
also used for official purposes, especially on the middle courses of the larger
mainland streams. On the principal waterways, vessels with drafts of up to 12
feet can navigate upriver from the coast for about 100 miles and craft drawing 6
feet or less continue far into the interior.
By international standards, West New Guinea has no major ports, but seven ports
of the territory provide limited facilities for ocean-going vessels. The most sig-
nificant is Nollendia, which has an excellent natural harbor and extensive docking
and marine repair facilities; it is also the principal Dutch naval base in the
colony. Good port facilities are also available at Menokwari, Merauke, and Sorong;
and limited facilities are at Faldak, Babo, and Kaimana, all located on the Bomberai
coast or nearby. At Sorido Lagoon on Biak Island, the Netherlands Government is
constructing a naval base with extensive repair facilities.
Air transport is extremely important in West New Guinea, especially for the ad-
ministrative and material needs of the small Dutch community. Moimer Airfield on
Biak is an international airport capable of handling the largest commercial jet
transports, and overseas connections are also available at Hollandia/Sentani and
Sorong/Jefman airfields. Scheduled DC-3 flights are handled at most large towns,
and Twin Pioneer aircraft and single-engined Beavers maintain regular schedules
to all administrative centers and numerous supply points. The many missionary
associations of West New Guinea provide their own landing strips in the interior
highlands, and new sites are constantly being developed by missionary and survey
groups. Marry areas unsuited for airfield development are reached by means of
pontoon-equipped Beavers and Pipers, which utilize the numerous inland lakes. The
larger Catalina and Grumman Mallard aircraft serve the important coastal towns.
Climate and Vegetation
Not, humid, and rainy weather prevails over most of West New Guinea. Through-
out the year, temperatures near sea level are in the lower 70's at night and in the
upper 80's during the afternoon. Considerably cooler temperatures prevail in the
highlands, and snow and ice are permanent at elevations of 14,000 to 15,000 feet.
Rainfall is frequent and heavy, generally averaging 80 to 120 inches annually, but
over 300 inches have been recorded in the high mountains. The southeast, however,
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has a pronounced dry season (June-October), when the prevailing southea~e.Ved F o r
of the Australian winter cause the average monthly rainfall to drop bet bb
the annual average is slightly lower than 60 inches.
In the humid, tropical climate of West New Guinea, dense evergreen forests
cover at least 85 percent of the land; grasslands cover another 10 percent; and only
some 5 percent is under cultivation. Trees in the extensive areas of luxuriant
broadleaf evergreen rain forest ideally form a dense canopy at 80 to 150 feet, and
the forest floor is relatively open and easy to cross on foot. Where sunlight is
admitted directly, as in the vicinity of streams and clearings, the canopy is less
dense and an undergrowth of small trees, palms, rattans, and vines seriously hin-
ders movement. Rain forests, characteristically an uneven mixture of clear areas
and jungle, are generally found on the better drained lowlands (except in the ex-
treme south) and on slopes up to an elevation of 5,000 feet. Between 5,000 feet
and 8,000 feet, the valuable tropical hardwoods give way to a mixture of evergreen
oaks and various coniferous softwoods. Although the canopy is generally dense the
underbrush is heavy and virtually impenetrable, especially where timber has been
cut or burned. Between 8,000 and 11,000 feet, coniferous forests predominate ex-
cept on persistently cloud-shrouded slopes, where they are supplanted by forests
of widely spaced small trees. In these regions, a dense undergrowth and thick
layers of moss severely limit cross-country movement. Above 11,000 or 12,000 feet,
forests give way to ever-diminishing amounts of scrub and grass up to the snowline
at about 14,000 feet. The higher valleys in the central cordillera may also con-
tain broad grasslands.
Widespread swamp forests are predominant in most of southern New Guinea, the
Meervlakte Depression, and the coastal embayments of the peninsular northwest.
Along poorly drained tidal coasts, the swamp forests are comprised of salt-tolerant
mangroves, whose complex aerial roots defy penetration. Pure stands of nipa palm
along the brackish inland margins of the mangrove belt are much less difficult to
traverse. On coastal lowlands not subject to tidal flooding and in the land-locked
Meervlakte Depression, freshwater swamp forests -- made up of trees with complex
systems of buttresses and roots and with an unusually dense undergrowth -- are sub-
ject to constant freshwater flooding and are almost insurmountable obstacles to
movement of any type. Locally, elevated levees along the larger rivers may provide
paths through the flooded terrain.
In the sandy, better drained coastal areas of West New Guinea, principally on
the north coast east of Geelvink-baai but also along most other shores backed by
hilly terrain, the vegetation commonly consists of a narrow belt of scattered pine-
like casuarina trees with very little underbrush. In the past, these coasts have
provided suitable landing beaches for amphibious equipment. Easily cleared, they
have also been used for airstrips or, more often, for extensive coconut plantations.
Because of its distinctly dry "winter," southernmost West New Guinea has a scattered
growth of deciduous palms and eucalyptus trees with sparse undergrowth. During the
dry season, vehicular movement is possible along established tracks; but, in the
wet season, much of the land is under water and is untrafficable even on foot.
Some 15 to 20 Indonesian incursions by sea have been recorded since 1952, the
majority since 1959. Three principal areas were involved: the isthmian coast
east of Etna-baai, the Fakfak region, and the islands of the Radja Anpat Grasp.
The purpose of the incursions has been to propagandize and subvert the peoples of
West New Guinea, but a few groups were equipped for small-scale sabotage. In all,
only about 250 Indonesian soldiers and civilians were involved. The overwhelming
majority were either killed or captured within a few days.
25X6
25X6
Population and Economy
The impact of Dutch efforts to civilize and develop the colony of West New
Guinea is almost entirely limited to the periphery. The interior has been pene-
trated only sporadically in response to elemental needs of the few resident ad-
ministrative and missionary personnel, and occasional churches and schools are
the main achievements of this pioneering effort. Further opening up of the coun-
try presents difficult technical problems, and the scant resources provide very
little incentive for the investment needed for equipment and surveys. To maintain
even its present low rate of development, the colony is currently dependent on
heavy financial support from The Netherlands.
The population of West New Guinea is estimated at 700,000 persons, including
some 300,000 tribal peoples living in the so-called "exploration areas." In
these areas, which cover almost all of the central highland region, the Dutch
have made comparatively few contacts with the inhabitants and established no reg-
ular local governments. The rest of the people reside in "administered areas,"
but almost 10 percent of them live in remote districts not yet in contact with
the authorities.
At least 95 percent of the inhabitants of West New Guinea are "Papuan" -- a
term commonly used to include Melanesians and Negritos, as well as true Papuans.
The Melanesians form local minorities along the western and northwestern coasts
and around Hollandia; the Negritos live almost exclusively in the most inaccessible
parts of the mountainous interior. The Papuan peoples constitute a majority every-
where except in such major towns as Hollandia, Sorong, Fakfak, Kaimane, and Merauke.
In 1958, only about 16,000 Papuans were employed as wage earners in the modern sec-
tor of the economy of West New Guinea.
The non-indigenous population in 1958 included 17,181 "Europeans' mostly
Netherlanders and Eurasians of Dutch citizenship) and 18,178 "Asians" mostly In-
donesians from Java, Celebes, and the nearby Moluccas but also some Chinese). The
"Westernized" segment of the population can be characterized as consisting of about
equal numbers of Dutch, Asians, and Papuans. The Papuans, generally occupy the
lowest rung in the economic ladder. Indonesians are mostly skilled and semiskilled
laborers or, in some areas, market gardeners. The Chinese comprise the small mer-
chant class. Administrators, missionaries, teachers, technicians, and operators
of the principal airlines and shipping firms are almost exclusively Dutch.
Practically all the Europeans live in five towns -- Hollandia (8,200), Biak
(2,400) Manokwari (2,300), Sorong (1,800), and Merauke (600). The rest are
scattered throughout the territory, a handful in each of the smaller adminis-
trative centers and ports. Indonesians in Substantial numbers live in all except
the most remote towns, but the greatest concentrations are in the peninsular north-
west and its nearby islands. The principal oil-shipping port of Sorong, for ex-
ample, includes about 5,300 Indonesians -- almost half the total population. In
the eastern part of the colony the Indonesians form a much smaller proportion of
the population. The population of Hollandia, for example, includes only 1,000
Asians as compared to 8,200 Europeans. The Chinese constitute important minor-
ities in all of the principal towns.
European economic activity is directed primarily toward extractive industries,
forestry, and agriculture. Oil production, the most important activity, has fallen
steadily from a peak of 550,000 tons in 1954 to 245,000 tons in 1959? In 1960, the
only oil company operating in West New Guinea announced its intention to give up
further exploration and to confine itself to the exploitation of existing oilfields.
All three remaining oilfields on the Vogelkop are expected to continue pumping as
long as feasible, but this is not expected to be more than 5 or 10 years. For the
Netherlands Government the decline of oil interests will bring to a standstill one
of the few important modern activities in West New Guinea. This will seriously
strain the already weak economy of the colony. In 1958, almost 70 percent of the
total export value was contributed by crude oil shipped from Vogelkop ports. The
remainder consisted of copra, nutmeg, mace, forest products, seashells, and croc-
odile skins.
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0 1 0 0 3 1 00 2rQent the Hollandia Government is seeking to attract overseas investors
ly large deposits of copper, nickel, and cobalt in West New Guinea.
Plans have already been advanced for the exploration of nickel and cobalt deposits
in the Cyclop Mountains west of Hollendia and on Waigeo and nearby islands of the
Radja Ampat Groep. Copper and other ores are doubtless to be found in abundance
in the central highlands, but the cost of extraction probably would be prohibitive
for any except the most precious metals. Encouragement also is being given to the
exploitation of forest resources by foreign firms and to the production of cacao,
rubber and other tropical crops for export.
For most Papuans of West New Guinea, traditional ways of life have been modified
only slightly, if at all, by contact with Western civilization. The self-contained
village unit, hostile toward outsiders and speaking a dialect unintelligible rela-
tively few miles away, prevails over most of the territory. Agriculture is largely
of the primitive shifting-cultivation type, in which small forest areas are cleared
and planted to crops such as bananas, taro, and sweet potatoes for a year or two
-- until the soil is exhausted -- and then abandoned. The damp tropical-forest
climate also provides excellent conditions for the growth of sugarcane, tobacco,
and a multitude of vegetables, the chief hazard being unexpected floods. Pigs
have been domesticated in the highlands, but the lowland Papuans depend upon hunt-
ing and fishing for proteins. Limited amounts of copra are produced as a cash crop
along the sandy north coast and on the offshore islands.
Current Outlook
Economically and strategically, West New Guinea is not valuable to The Nether-
lands, but politically it has become the rallying point for forces of Dutch na-
tionalism, as the final opportunity for The Netherlands to regain some of its former
prestige as an able administrator of underdeveloped territories. The Dutch are
now committed to a policy of self-government for the Papuans. The first step toward
this goal was the establishment in April 1961 of a 28-member advisory council, of
which 16 were elected by local inhabitants. The electorate included Europeans,
Asians, and those Papuans resident in Nollandis and Manokwari. Attempts will be
made to broaden the franchise and accelerate the filling of lower ranks of the
civil service with qualified Papuans. In 1962, the Papuans are to be given an
opportunity to choose their own political status, which is expected to be the cre-
ation of an "autonomous" state with strong ties to The Netherlands.
The Dutch program threatens to hamper the Indonesian campaign to gain sover-
eignty over West New Guinea. In consequence, Indonesia might undertake military
or paramilitary gestures in hopes of internationalizing the dispute. Although
Indonesian prospects for building a significant resistance movement among the
Papuans are slight, the resident Indonesians constitute an attractive target for
subversion, especially in areas currently suffering from depression in the petro-
leum industry.
Actual military invasion of West New Guinea by Indonesia appears unlikely
until all political avenues of solution have been exhausted. The only areas of
strategic significance in West New Guinea are Hollandia, the administrative
center and naval headquarters, and Biak, the site of major air defense installa-
tions. Control of such towns as Sorong, Fakfak, or Kaimana, which are among
the likeliest of targets for the Indonesians in the event of full-scale invasion,
would represent only tactical victories in what might become a lengthy and in-
decisive campaign. Assaults upon the Geelvink-baai ports and airfields would
greatly assist any ultimate attack upon Biak, but this zone of operation would be
more favorable to the Dutch than to the Indonesians. The Merauke coast, with its
good landing beaches and large Indonesian population, must be downgraded as a
potential target area because its proximity to Australian New Guinea and to the
Australian mainland itself would almost insure intervention on behalf of the
Dutch by Australia -- the only Western nation that has a vital strategic stake
in New Guinea.
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