Major TNI Marthen Indey (1912–1986) was a colonial police officer in New Guinea, Dutch East Indies who later became nationalist fighter in the Indonesian National Revolution and a supporter of Papua becoming part of Indonesia.
[3] Indey improved his command of the Malay language while a primary student in Volkschool in Ambon which he attended after his right index finger is able to reach touch the tip of the left ear when his right arm is over the head, a sign for the start of school age; at the time the language was not commonly spoken in many eastern parts of the Indies as compared to Java and Sumatra.
[4] Unlike his nephew Karel who went on to continue study in Depok and ODO (Opleiding Voor Dorpzonderwijzen) in Miei, Wandormen and become teacher in Hollandia, Indey was known as a rebellious and adventurous child which did not like education in classrooms.
Indey solved this by becoming nude to go inside their village and discussed peaceful coexistence with local tribal leaders, and from these meetings it was agreed they will not attack Kakanao (Mimika).
[5] It was during this phase of his life that he met and married his wife, Agustina Heumasse, from Negeri Kamarian in Seram Island; their marriage took place in Manokwari.
Lastly the third expedition was in the beginning of 1940 to conduct feasibility study on building roads through the Paniai interior from Seruwo river to Wisselmer with a Dutch civil engineer from Makassar.
[6] During 1940 and 1941, Indey worked in the clandestine colonial police to track the movements of Japanese agents in Manokwari, who the Dutch believed to be scouting the region for an eventual invasion, disguised as fishermen and plantation workers.
In the middle of NKKK plantation they found a secret runway, the Japanese also buried uniforms, ammunitions, grenades, small cannons, and machine guns during the night.
[1] As a trusted member of the colonial police, he was more free than most non-Europeans to interact with these political prisoners, and he apparently spent much of his time trading stories with them.
[8] Indey supposedly buried weapons and resources confiscated from Japanese agents during this time,[7] which years later would be dug up and used in the independence struggle.
Although this plot would later be uncovered and he was exiled in all but name with his wife and child to Anida forest in Pesnamnam, a region which was known for cannibals from Jair and Mandobo, for 8 months he would live a miserable nomadic life until they found a Catholic priest from southeast Moluccas.
[11] In April 1944, as the Japanese were losing the war, members of the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA), who intended to re-establish Dutch control over the colony, landed in New Guinea.
[14] Hearing of this incident and the Dutch method to split rebelling forces along religious lines,[15] Indey would then move from Arso to began more direct involvement in the movement.
[14] Later on Panggoncang Alam (from Minangkabau) would lead a rebellion to free Atmoprasojo from Merauke prison on 17 July 1946 by targeting KNIL posts during Malino Conference, although this would be unsuccessful, eventually Indey and Papare would be moved to Serui to not liase with this movement.
Because of Frans Kaisiepo views and the suggestion of the new name Irian, Dutch authorities did not send Papuan representatives in the follow-up Malino Conference on 20–24 December 1946.
Although earlier on 12 December 1946, Marthen Indey, Corinus Krey, and Nicolaas Jouwe sent telegram to Van Mook in Denpasar, to oppose the formation of State of East Indonesia as it did not include West Irian.
[21][22] On 1 May 1950, Marthen Indey and others were freed from Dutch prisons, he and Petrus Wettebossy used this opportunity to meet Mr. J. Latuharhary and Mohammad Yamin to keep on supporting PIM.
[24] Marthen Indey managed to safe surrounded 9 RKPAD members from Dutch forces and hide them in the forest of Sabron Dosai.