His story is about a cook who became a fearless freedom fighter.
Mr. Sapioper was a cook working at the Dok II Hospital. When the Morningstar flag was raised for the first time in 1961 in Port Numbai – West Papua, He was there to witness. He didn’t know much about geo-politics, but he was very proud to have witnessed the Raising of the Morningstar flag – our own flag. When Dutch government left West Papua in October 1962, he was sad and angry, he didn’t understand why the Dutch had to leave West Papua. But the spark was already struck, he already imagined our freedom. One year later, on the eve of December 1, 1962, he had a dream, a voice calling him ‘Don’t forget to raise the Morningstar’. When he woke up, he told his wife Josephine about his plans to raise the Morningstar flag and said farewell to her, because he wasn’t sure whether he would come back home. He was determined to raise the Morningstar flag. So he did. On that day, very early in the morning, all hospital employees were very scared, they saw him carrying the Morningstar flag walking towards the flagpole. He raised the Morningstar flag and sat next to the flagpole, with his 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 (traditional Biakese machete) on his lap. He was ready to protect the Morningstar flag at all cost. Likely enough the UNTEA (United Nations Temporary Executive Authority) was still in West Papua. On that day the Morningstar flag was raised until sunset. Since Indonesia took over West Papua in May 1963, he met and talked with liked minded ones, who are against the Indonesian occupation. They often meet and talked in secret.
He became a freedom fighter.
𝗠𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 ‘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗜’
He was a comrade of my father, Arnold Ap. They first met in prison, when my father was a student-activist. In 1969 they both got arrested together with hundreds of fellow countrymen who were involved in the mass rally for right to self-determination in Port Numbai – West Papua. They both have shared the same jail room, but didn’t know much about each other’s background. Few years later, in the mid 70’s my father decided to join the West Papua’s Liberation movement (OPM). My father asked my aunty, who worked as a nurse at the DOK II hospital, whether she has any contact with the movement. Since my grandfather Baldus Mofu was a very known Leader in West Papua. My aunty introduced my father to Mr. Julianus Sapioper. That’s whena they got re-united and talked about how they can work together to help the liberation movement. Mr. Sapioper introduced my father to late Mr. Seth Rumkorem, who was one of the leaders of the liberation movement at that time. My father always called Mr. Sapioper ‘𝑲𝑼𝑴𝑰𝑺 𝑻𝑬𝑴𝑩𝑨𝑮𝑨’, because of his mustaches. But in the Liberation Movement his code name was ‘𝘼𝘿𝙀𝙍𝙄’, the stork. That is how my father became colleagues, comrades with ADERI. For many years they have worked together in the city of Jayapura (Port Numbai) to supply the liberation movement with among other things medicines and food. All those years he had crossed many rivers, climbed many mountains and walked thousands of kilometers to deliver.
𝗔 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
Mr. Julianus Sapioper was true to our Liberation Struggle, He was true to the West Papuan People, he was a true Freedom Fighter. I have never met anyone in my life who have spent so many times behind the Indonesian bars. Probably more than 15 times. Sometimes few days, sometimes weeks, but sometimes months imprisonment. He have told stories about how they treated him in the prison. Sleepless nights in a dark jail room, sleeping on a cold cement floor or sleeping standing in pool of shit, got burning cigarettes plucked out on his body, was often beaten with a rifle butt, was electrocuted and probably other forms of torture. We can still see the scars of many years of torture on his body.
When my father got arrested in November 1983, he asked ADERI to leave the country. He said to ADERI: the Indonesian intelligence services have arrested me, they sure will try to kill you.
Fortunately, ADERI has decided to leave the country. So that is why we fled to PNG together with Julianus Sapioper family, John Wakum family and Tom Ireeuw family. February 1984.
Dear father-in-law,
I have known you as a loving and caring father and grandfather to my children. Many years ago I was determined to marry a Freedom fighter's daughter. And I am very grateful that you and Mama Josephine have given your blessing on my relationship with your daughter Henny.
We will miss you, but we will not forget you. Thank you for your love, thank you for your Fighting Spirit. We will carry your name in our hearts and struggle on.
Araaa….Marandan bebye.
On behalf of Arnold C. Ap family
Oridek Ap
