Thom Wainggai
| Thomas Wapay N.S Wainggai | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 West Papua |
| Died | 12 March 1996 Jakarta |
| Resting place | Jayapura, West Papua |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation |
|
| Employer | Cenderawasih University |
| Known for | Candidate for Governor of West Papua |
| Home town | Jayapura |
| Movement | Independent of West Melanesia |
| Criminal charge | Subversion |
| Criminal penalty |
|
| Spouse(s) | Teruko Wainggai |
| Children | 3 (2 boys, 1 girl) |
| Relatives | Herman Wainggai (Nephew) |
Thomas Wapay N.S Wainggai (also known as Dr. Thom) was a West Papuan scholar, political and cultural leader, philosopher, and nationalist; a true advocate of West Papuan self-determination and Melanesian identity. He was born and raised in Jayapura, West Papua, where he spent his young days. He became the first West Papuan to get an advanced education outside of West Papua. In 1988, he was arrested for his political beliefs and teachings and was sentenced to two decades behind bars. In 1996, he died as a political prisoner in an Indonesian prison.
Dr. Thom grew up and went to school in his hometown of Jayapura, West Papua. After high school, he enrolled at the Cenderawasih university - one of the leading universities in West Papua. At Cenderawasih university, Dr. Thom excelled. He built up good grades and was selected for the exchange program in Japan. He graduated with Oa degree in Law at the Okayama University. He then traveled to the United States to study on a Fulbright Scholarship. He graduated with Master's degree (MA) in Public Administration at the State University of New York at Albany, New York, and then earned a Doctorate of Philosophy from Florida State University in 1987. He had reached a level of education that many West Papuans of his time, even today, could not.
Dr. Thom was involved in politics as at an early age. As a young man, he watched West Papuans fought against the Indonesian occupation of their land since 1969. In 1988, as one of the West Papuan respected leaders, be began to teach a new kind of ideology: he taught that West Papuans are Melanesian people who are entitled to self-determination. Dr. Thom channeled the frustration of the people of West Papua over the legality of Indonesian occupation of their lands. In his view, the manner in which West Papua was handed over to Indonesia was highly unfair, grossly unjust, and illegal based on International Human Rights laws and conventions. Dr. Thom, a trained lawyer did refuse to hide his disdain and dissatisfaction toward Indonesian occupation of West Papua and determined to fight against Indonesia through logical and legal arguments. He used his knowledge of international statues to challenge the legality of Indonesian occupation of West Papua, but during the Suharto regime, it was a war he couldn't win without losing his own life.
James Vorendberg of Asia Watch explained the kind of country Indonesia was – and continues to this day – during Dr. Thom's time:
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