West New Guinea

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29384, 10 December 1960, Page 12

West New Guinea

The endeavours of the Malayan Prime Minister (Tunku Abdul Rahman) to resolve the dispute over West New Guinea have not been fruitless, in spite of his repudiation by the Indonesian Government. He has succeeded in getting Dutch agreement to a measure of supervision of the colonial administration by the United Nations. This serves two purposes. First, the rejection by the Indonesians of anything short of annexation shows clearly that their real interest is not the well-being of the primitive Papuan people. Second, the reports to the United Nations will demonstrate that Dutch colonialism here is preparing the inhabitants for eventual self-govern-ment. The Dutch are already going further in the development of a political “ elite ” with some share in local government than their Australian neighbours in the other half of the island think prudent. It is well that the independent nations in Asia should learn of this from an international source they are inclined to trust The Congo tragedy should be a sufficient lesson to the United Nations that it is dan-

gerous to give any people independence before they are ready for it; and it is unlikely that the fervent nationalists among new members would regard the substitution of Indonesian colonialism for Dutch as any solution.

As New Zealand learned in Western Samoa, some United Nations delegates may be inclined to meddle in matters of which they appear to know little: but. on the'whole, international supervision is exercised reasonably and gives valuable moral support to a country responsibly administering a backward territory No doubt United Nations interest has contributed something to the spirit in which the Samoan people have accepted their phased advance to independence, and it can be expected that Papuans capable of political understanding wall be similarly influenced The Duteh agreement should help to promote political stability in New Guinea. Strategically. New Guinea is of first importance to Australia, as events in the last war showed. It is important to New Zealand, too. that this island barrier should not be broken down.