Boven Digoel Regency

Boven Digoel Regency is an inland regency (kabupaten) in the northeastern part of the Indonesian province of South Papua. It was split off from Merauke Regency (of which it used to be a part) on 12 November 2002. It is bordered to the south by the residual Merauke Regency, to the west by Mappi Regency, and to the north by the province of Highland Papua, while to the east lies the international border with Papua New Guinea.

"Boven Digoel" redirects here. For the concentration camp, see Boven-Digoel concentration camp.
Boven Digoel Regency
Kabupaten Boven Digoel
Regency
Coat of arms of Boven Digoel Regency
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Nup Bagen Ngup Bagenep
(I Am Because You Are)
Boven Digoel Regency is located in Western New Guinea
Boven Digoel Regency
Boven Digoel Regency
Location in Western New Guinea and Indonesia
Boven Digoel Regency is located in Indonesia
Boven Digoel Regency
Boven Digoel Regency
Boven Digoel Regency (Indonesia)
Coordinates: 5.7400°S 140.3482°E / -5.7400; 140.3482
Country Indonesia
ProvinceSouth Papua
Regency seatTanah Merah
Government
 • RegentVacant
 • Vice RegentChaerul Anwar
Area
 • Total27,108.29 km2 (10,466.57 sq mi)
Population
 (mid 2022 estimate)[1]
 • Total65,193
 • Density2.4/km2 (6.2/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Indonesia Eastern Time)
Area code(+62) 975
Websitebovendigoelkab.go.id

The regency covers an area of 27,108.29 km2 (10,466.57 sq mi), and the total population was 55,784 at the 2010 Census[2] and 64,285 at the 2020 Census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 65,193.[1] The administrative centre is the town of Tanah Merah (or Persatuan kampung) in Mandobo District.

Administrative districts

The regency comprises twenty districts (distrik), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census[2] and the 2020 Census,[3] together with the official estimates as at mid 2022.[1] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages (kampung) in each district, and its post code.

Name of
District
(distrik)		Area
in
km2		Pop'n
2010
Census		Pop'n
2020
Census		Pop'n
mid 2022
Estimate		Admin
centre		No.
of
villages		Post
code
Jair3,061.7317,48218,17918,186Getentiri599651
Subur2,660.091,2241,4701,511Subur599653
Ki2,050.601,7011,7291,734Ujung Kia499652
Mindiptana448.173,6223,7993,847Mindiptana1399663
Iniyandit379.658331,0061,036Langgoan599661
Kombut660.936911,1351,239Kombut499662
Sesnukt1,306.632,102918920Sesnukt599664
Mandobo2,699.5112,84020,02720,288Tanah Merah599674
Fofi2,466.701,9872,6902,831Makmur/Ikisi899673
Arimop1,311.771,2701,6311,698Maju799671
Kouh467.251,1861,0931,095Kouh399655
Bomakia1,082.952,1962,4752,514Bomakia599672
Firiwage1,219.971,088845855Firiwage499691
Manggelum1,289.651,188836855Manggelum699692
Yaniruma1,611.048661,0251,052Yaniruma399685
Kawagit904.231,0011,1391,160Kawagit699654
Kombay830.911,2631,0281,030Wanggemalo599682
Waropko1,086.971,9101,9932,019Waropko999684
Ambatkwi1,282.38743449474Kuken599681
Ninati287.07591818849Ninati599683
Totals27,108.2955,78464,28565,193Tanah Merah112

History
Communist prisoners to Boven Digoel in 1927 (1927)

In the Dutch East Indies era, the present Boven Digoel Regency was known as Digul Atas (Upper Digul), located on the banks of the Digul River.

Boven-Digoel was a Dutch prison camp in the Dutch East Indies at the headwaters of the Digul River, where Indonesian nationalists and communists were interned between 1928 and 1942. Initially set to accommodate prisoners of the 1926 revolt led by the Communist Party of Indonesia, Boven-Digoel later was used as an exile for the national movement figures with a recorded number of prisoners of 1,308 people. Among the figures who had been exiled there were Mohammad Hatta, Sutan Syahrir, Sayuti Melik, and Marco Kartodikromo.

Statue in rememberence of Muhammad Hatta near the airport and former prison building.

When the Pacific War broke out and Japan occupied Indonesia, Boven-Digoel prisoners were evacuated by the Dutch to Australia. The transfer was based on concerns that the prisoners would rebel if they remained at Boven-Digoel. It was hoped that the Indonesians brought to Australia would help the Dutch. It turned out that these political prisoners influenced the Australian trade union to boycott the Dutch ships that landed in the country. After the Allies succeeded in winning, the prisoners were returned to their original places in Indonesia.

The camp was reused to imprison Indonesian nationalists from Papua during West New Guinea dispute such as J.A. Dimara, Petrus Korwa and Hanoch Rumbrar.[4][5]

References
  1. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2023, Kabupaten Boven Digoel Dalam Angka 2023 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.9302)
  2. Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
  3. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
  4. Materay, Bernarda; Wabisay, Yan Dirk (2020-07-01). "PERTUMBUHAN NASIONALISME INDONESIA DI KALANGAN ORANG PAPUA 1963--1969 GROWTH OF INDONESIA NATIONALISM AMONG THE PAPUANS 1963--1969". Masyarakat Indonesia. 45 (1): 1–18. doi:10.14203/jmi.v45i1.883. ISSN 2502-5694. Retrieved 2022-06-25.
  5. Sitompul, Martin (2020-12-03). "Mengenal 5 Pahlawan Nasional Asal Papua". Historia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2022-01-16.
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