Frans Kaisiepo, First Papuan Raise Red and White and Sing Indonesia Raya

Frans Kaisiepo was one of the people who first raised the Red and White in Papua. He echoed the singing of the anthem Indonesia Raya in Papua, which was still occupied by the Dutch to unite with Indonesia.

The name Frans Kaisiepo was designated as an Indonesian national hero from Papua based on Presidential Decree No. 077/TK/1993.

During his lifetime he served as the fourth Governor of Papua Province. Throughout his life, he struggled to unite West Irian with Indonesia.

He was also the representative of the Papua Province who was involved in the Malino Conference during the discussion on the formation of the United States of Indonesia. At that time Frans proposed the name Irian for the area in Eastern Indonesia. Irian comes from the Biak language which means a hot place. He is known to have been born on Biak Island on October 10, 1921.

On August 31, 1945, when Papua was still occupied by the Dutch, Frans was one of the people who enforced the existence of the Republic of Indonesia. He was also the first to fly the Red and White and sing the anthem Indonesia Raya in Papua.

Frans was also sentenced to five years in prison for leading a rebellion against the Dutch in Biak Regency. To commemorate his service, Frans Kaisiepo was awarded the Second Class Mahaputra Adipradana Star by the Indonesian government. He was posthumously appointed as a National Hero of Indonesia on the 30th anniversary of the handover of Papua to Indonesia in 1993.

His name is also immortalized as Frans Kaisiepo International Airport in Biak, West Papua.

Kaisiepo is also one of the historical figures chosen to be depicted in the 2016 edition of the Indonesian rupiah banknote for the IDR 10,000 denomination. In addition, his name is also enshrined in one of the KRIs, namely KRI Frans Kaisiepo.

SOURCE : https://papua.inews.id/berita/frans-kaisiepo-orang-papua-pertama-kibarkan-merah-putih-dan-singkan-indonesia-raya/2