Includes bibliographical references (p. 347-351) and index.

Preliminary Material / Leontine Visser -- The Everyday Life of Papuan Civil Servants 1950-1990 / Leontine Visser -- Do Not Insult Papuans in Front of Me / Trajanus S. Boekorsjom -- Accused of Being a Separatist / Dolf Faidiban -- They Falsified My Name / Arnold Mampioper -- The Three-Month War in Panai / Gerrit Jan Iauri -- Two Keys to Attracting the Baliem People / Dorus Rumbiak -- Meeting the Tree People / Alex Wamafma -- Koteka are Better than Pants / Joel Boray -- Surprised to See Beggars / Luther Saroy -- Clearing an Airfield with Wooden Logs / Florenz Imbiri -- Corpse Eating and an Illicit Cult / Lambert Marani -- I was Appointed Governor / Barnabas Suebu -- Between Isaac Hindom and Acub Zainal / Ismael Bauw -- The Role of Teachers in Governing Communities / Alex Sawaki and Marthin Senandi -- We Were Not Given Access to Proper Education / Marthin Senandi -- Twins Must Be Killed / Dirk Bernardus Urus -- Feeling Guilty About Helping Freeport / Amos Yap -- Tears on the Plane / Amapos Jos Marey -- Bibliography / Leontine Visser -- Index / Leontine Visser.

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This is the first time that indigenous Papuan administrators share their experiences with an international public in governing their country.These administrators were the brokers of development. After graduating from the School for Indigenous Administrators (OSIBA) they served in the Dutch administration until 1962. The period 1962-1969 stands out as turbulent and dangerous, and for many curtailed their professional careers. Having been in active service until their retirement in the early 1990s, their oral histories allow for a complete recounting of political and administrative transformations under the Indonesian governance of Irian Jaya/Papua. This book brings together 17 oral histories of the everyday life of Papuan civil servants, including their relationships with superiors and colleagues, the murder of a Dutch administrator, their translation of ‘development’ to the Papuan people, the organization of their first democratic institutions, and the actual political and economic conditions leading up to the so-called Act of Free Choice. Finally, they share their experiences in the UNTEA and Indonesian government organization.