THE PAPUAN VOLUNTEERS CORPS (PVK) 1961-1962

            The Papuan Volunteer Corps (VPK, Dutch: Papuan  Vrijwiliger Korps) was a coprs consisting entirely of Papuans, formed on February 21, 1961. It was established to contribute to the defense of Dutch NewGuinea against the infiltration of the Indonesian Army. The establishment of the corps by the Dutch cabinet was approved in December, 1959 and the corps was to serve as a semi-military police. The PVK wascomposed of different peoples of Papua, and was under command of colonel marines  W.A. van Heuven.  As an emblam the PVK chose the Casowarry (Kasuaris in Ducth): the corp’s motto was Persevero (I persist).

The PVK was armed and was equipped with a khaki uniform and a hat with the left edge upward, which was adorned with the PVK emblem and a plume. The Papuan Volunteers Corps was set up in February 1961 to ensure Papuan involvement in protecting the interests of former Dutch Nieuw Guinea.  It is was primarily established for political reasons as part of the ten year plain in 1960 by Cabinet De Quay.

Military moties were of secondary interest. The Dutch Goverment wanted to accelerated the development of the colony in preparation for Nieuw Guinea’s indevendence and as such to keep it from being taken over by the Inonesians(gambar). The Papuan Volunteers Corps was promote the knowledge and development of social insfrastructure by including civilians as well as military information as part of the training. The Volunteer Corps was to play a vipotal role in an independent West Papua.

The native troops were essential for atrolling the jungle and swamps and as such they were important for the tasks to be done by the Dutch soldiers inthe Army and Marine Corps (Gambar). The Papuan Volunteers Corps can be regarded as an indirec continuation of Papuan Battalions within the army which operated during WW II which was disbanded in 1948. At the end of 1949, the devence was in the hands of two platoons of the  Royal Ducth East Indies  Army (KNIL),  a platoons of Nieuw Guinea Army soldierss and two platoons of Papuan Soldiers, all under the command of Major John Eechoud.

Returning Papuan soldiers are added to the two Papuas platoons, making it a company of 142 men. Many Papuans find the militaristics was of trining very difficult. The KNIL mentality was very different to that of Papuan soldiers. They were used   to guerrilla warffare: ambush, waiting a while, shooting and then retreating. In its hay-day, the Papuan batalion consisted of more than 1000 men but towards of the end of its existence it counted no more than about 100 to 150  soldiers. The batalion continued up until the Nieuw guinea Army as a whole was disbanded at the end of 1955.

For the purpose of law enforcement the Algemene Politie (Police Force) was present and they had to make do with any weapons that were around at the time. At the biginning 150 Dutch KNIL Carbines were in use. However from 1960 onwards the police was aquipped with armament which largely corresponded with that of the Papua Volunteer Corps, namely Papua Mauser Rifles And Uzi Machine Guns. In March 1959, Peter Palattel, the Governor of Dutch Nieuw Guinea, recommended that the Papuan Volunteer Corps be established. It took until February, 1961 for Queen Juliana to confirm it oficially by Royal Decree.Recruitment begain in September 1961 and there was such an interest among the Papuans that the number of candidates was way higher than the number of  actual available places. Thousands of men lined up in fron of the police office in Hollandia, while only 30 men were to be selected at this location.

 PVK mengibarkan  Fajar Timur  Flag and Netherland Flag In Hollandia 1961.

In total 200 men were selected and these started their training on 1 November 1961. Many of the recriuts regarded the new Corps as a precursor to a national army of their own. The elaborate plans to build up the Papuan Volunteers Corps into an independent force were abruptly halted in Agustus  1963 by the truce with Indonesia. The Netherlands had been negotiating in 1962 about having to hand Nieuw Guinea over to Indonesia.

For the Ducth Goverment it was unacceptable that it would go directly to Indonesia.  The Papuan Volunteer Corps was initially still part of the Dutch Armed forces but it was  put under the authority of the United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) in October 1963. In 1 May 1963 Indonesia tok over administration of West Nieuw Guinea. The Papuan Volunteer Corps was disbanded. In respectful memory of the efforts and sacrifices of the Papuans at the services of the kingdom, 1942-1962.

Sumber: The Papuan Volunteer Corps 1961-1962 colour  in Holandia youtube 

(Wrote by Jhon Anary, S.Kom)