New Guinea Council

Representative body in Dutch New Guinea

New Guinea Council

Leadership

Chair

Frits Sollewijn Gelpke

Vice-Chair

Nicolaas Jouwe

Clerk

J. W. Trouw

Seats| 28
Elections

Voting system

| 16 elected

Voting system

| 16 appointed

Last election

| 1961
Meeting place
Hollandia

The New Guinea Council (Dutch: Nieuw-Guinea Raad) was a unicameral representative body formed in the Dutch overseas territory of Netherlands New Guinea in 1961.

## History

[edit]

### Netherlands New Guinea

[edit]

Prior to the formation of the New Guinea Council, there existed a Council of Directors, which consisted of the heads of government departments. Dutch authorities initially began to establish local government bodies such as village councils and regional councils.

The New Guinea Council was inaugurated on 5 April 1961 with 28 council members, 16 of whom had been elected in elections held during January 1961. The council's inauguration was attended by representatives from Australia, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and other Pacific Forum nations with exception of the United States.[1][2]

The council was requested to make its wishes on self-determination known within a year.[3] During an emergency session the council drafted a national manifesto and symbols including the Morning Star flag for a new national identity to be known as "West Papua".[4]

### United Nations Administered West New Guinea

[edit]

Following the August 1962 New York Agreement between the governments of the Netherlands and Indonesia, the administration of Western New Guinea was assumed by the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) on 1 October 1962. The New Guinea Council was reconvened by United Nations administrator on 4 December 1962 and members took new oaths of office, swearing allegiance to UNTEA.[5] The council was disbanded when Western New Guinea was handed over to Indonesia on 1 May 1963.

## Council officials

[edit]

Frits Sollewijn Gelpke was Council Chairman and Nicolaas Jouwe was Vice-Chair. J. W. Trouw was the Clerk of the Council.

## Council building

[edit]

A council building was built in Hollandia from 1960 to 1961 and used until the abolition of the council in 1962. Currently the building houses the regional legislature of Papua, People's Representative Council of Papua [id].[6]

## Gallery

[edit]

* Council building in Hollandia

* New Guinea Council in session

* Council building in Hollandia

* Chairman J.H.F. Sollewijn Gelpke and councillors Arfan and Mofu

* Vice-chair Nicolaas Jouwe

* Members of the council with Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

* Members of the council at Euromast

## See also

[edit]

* United Nations Temporary Executive Authority

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Dutch New Guinea. Reuters TV (Television production). Reuters. 14 April 1961. 2639/61. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
2. ^ Tanggahma, Leonie (1 December 2012). "A History of the Morning Star Flag of West Papua". West Papua Media. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
3. ^ newspaper report. Sydney Morning Herald, 6 April 1961
4. ^ New Guinea Council statements
5. ^ "UNITED NATIONS SECURITY FORCE IN WEST NEW GUINEA (UNSF) - Background".
6. ^ Based on building similarities between the New Guinea Council building on 1961 Netherlands New Guinea stamps ("Nieuw Guinea 67/68 Nieuw-Guinea Raad Postfris". First Quality Stamps. Retrieved 4 February 2021.) and the current old building of DPR Papua.