МЕДАЛИ ИНДОНЕЗИИ ЗА ЗАПАДНЫЙ ИРИАН

Abstract

Indonesian struggle for West Irian was an essential aspect of Indonesian politics since early fifties. Indonesian Government managed to annex West Irian in the sixties due to a substantial material, technical and diplomatic support by the Soviet Union. The USSR stopped its support in 1965, when Indonesian Army under command of General Suharto undertook a terrific massacre of Indonesian communists, backed by the USA. The first President of Indonesia Sukarno was removed from his post. Suharto turned President and proclaimed the New Order (Orde Baru), manifesting itself in the Army rule over the nation. Despite strong positions of Suharto and his associates, there were many different factions in the Army, while Suharto managed to dismiss all disloyal generals. He also instituted new military orders to praise his loyal servants — The Navy Star (Bintang Jalasena), the Army Meritorious Service Star (Bintang Kartika Eka Pakçi), and Air Force Star (Bintang Swa Bhuwana Paksa) — in 1968. A year later, the West Irian open vote confirmed its joining with Indonesia, supported by the Indonesian military surveyors and army presence. Till the end of the sixties, there were constant tensions in West Timor. Indonesian Government instituted two campaign medals for operations in this area — the Satya Dharma Medal and the Raksaka Dharma / GOM IX Medal. The paper examines these two decorations and their context.