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Biak was first sighted by Europeans by the Portuguese navigator Jorge de Menezes in 1526. In his voyage from Malacca to Maluku via northern Borneo, Jorge de Menezes landed at Biak Islands, at the entrance of the Gulf, where he was forced to winter; the island is thenceforth called in Portuguese maps Ilha de Dom Jorge or Ilha onde invernou Dom Jorge, to become, finally, Ilha de S. Jorge.
The Spanish navigator Álvaro de Saavedra sighted the island on 24 June 1528, when trying to return from Tidore to New Spain. Another sighting was later reported in 1545 by Spanish navigator Íñigo Ortiz de Retes on board of galleon San Juan when also attempting the return to New Spain
The archipelago was first mapped in the Portuguese charts of Gaspar Viegas (c. 1537), an anonymous map of 1540, and on the maps of João de Lisboa and of Bartolomeu Velho (c. 1560), and by other Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch maps.
In World War II, a strategic airfield of the Imperial Japanese Army was located there, serving as a base for operations in the Pacific theatre. American forces eventually captured the island during the Battle of Biak. The captured airfield was renamed Mokmer Airfield and later transferred[when?] to the Royal Australian Air Force. [citation needed] Biak became the second landing of allied forces after Hollandia. Many Biak islanders received supplies from allied forces such as clothes and foods.
To restore their rule after the war, the Dutch reopened schools and re-employed graduates from teacher schools in Miei. Some Biak islanders including Frans Kaisieppo, Eduard Rumbrar, Markus Kaisiepo, Marttinus Rumayau, and Lukas Rumkorem were educated in Bestuur schools. By September 1945, Lukas Rumkorem founded Perserikatan Indonesia Merdeka (PIM), the first political party in Biak which held meetings during September and November in Nusi and from January 1946 in Bosnek. Although Rumkorem's activity would be found out by Hoofd Plaatselik Bestuur (HPB), no further action would be taken as the HPB went on sick leave until the resident found out. By the middle of 1947, Lukas Rumkorem would be captured by Dutch authority accused of trying to kill Frans Kaisiepo and Marcus Kaisiepo. De Bruijn as district leader of Biak would reorganised and formed regional council Kakain Karkara on 20 November 1947 to rebuild villages which were destroyed after Koreri movements against social changes brought by outsiders.
de Bruijn and his team during Operation Oaktree in Paniai
In his administration de Bruijn had a right hand man by the name of Stefanus Yoseph which was formerly under the employ of Japanese and met de Bruijn during his employment in Wissel Lakes (Paniai) during Operation Oaktree, Stefanus Yoseph was entrusted as warden in Biak, during which he stayed with Petero Jandi a Makassarese working as woodworker in HPB office. According to Stefanus, Petero Jandi was an Indonesian nationalist extremist (with links with Polongbangkeng group from South Sulawesi) which was captured and exiled to Biak. When Solait the bestuurassistent was on holiday in Ambon, Stefanus was chosen as bestuurassistent. During this time they supported two prisoners, Hermanus Rumere and Ambonese named Watti which led an attack on ammunition depot and Biak prison on 14 March 1948. Another important figure in this rebellion was Hanoch Rumbrar a clerk in HPB office, which became the intermediary between civilians and Petero Jandi's movement in garnering support and campaign from January to 10 March to become part of 'Sukarno's Republic'. They gained some support however some rejected not because they were pro-Dutch but afraid of similar retaliation during Manseren incident (1942-1943). This movement also tried to coordinate with Silas Papare's PKII particularly with Saleh, Ratulangi's exiled assistant in Serui. A week before this rebellion de Bruijn was on official travel. The plan was to attack KNIL garrison in Sorido followed with attack to central radio station and KNIL military post in Boruku field and Mokmer to gain weapons and free prisoners in Serui before invading Manokwari and Sorong. The rebellion did not go to plan and led to shootouts as one of local Biak youth, Terrianus shot Dutch Sergeant Schipper. By Monday, Stefanus Yoseph was captured, followed by Petero Jandi, Hanoch Rumbrar, and others the next day. Around 40 rebels would be captured and brought to Cipinang prison in Jakarta and released in the 1950s. Petero Jandi would receive capital punishment in Hollandia while others holdouts in jungle, like Petrus Korwa and Hanoch Rumbrar were sent to Digul.
Lukas Rumkorem
PIM activities would resume after the arrival of Corinus Krey from Hollandia on 7 August 1949. On 1 October 1949, there would be a meeting in the home of Yenures village leader, David Rumaropen to reorganise PIM and formally reactivated on 5 October 1949 in Bosnik, in the home of Lukas Rumkorem, with him as leader, Corinus Krey as deputy and J. Tarumaselly as advisor and Petrus Warikar as secretary. By 1958, a new movement led by Lukas Rumkorem was formed called Tentara Tjadangan Tjenderawasih (TTT), which according to J. Tarumaselly had branches in other region of Papua. This organisation sent some papuan youths to undergo military training outside Biak which was planned to guide Indonesia infiltration forces. TTT also made contacts with Indonesia Consulate General in Singapore to utilise Chinese-Indonesian as they move more freely with KPM ships other activities include surveillance of potential important locations in Biak by J. Tarumaselly and T. Rumngeur which was sent to Indonesian representatives in Singapore, Ambon, Hollandia, and Serui. TTT activities would be stopped after Dutch authorities found out and captured David Woisiri, Rafael Maselkosu, J. Tarumaselly, Jonathan Saroy, and Frits Werluken member of TTT branch of Serui.
Ds. F.J.S. Rumainum giving a sermon
It was transferred from Dutch rule, along with half of New Guinea, to Indonesia in the 1960s.[citation needed] On 15 August 1962, New York Agreement was signed, which contained provision for Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat. From 29 September to 19 October 1962, there was a papuan delegations consisting of 19 members to visit Indonesian regions and meet with Sukarno in Jakarta. Another delegations from papuan regions consisted of 34 people declare their oaths for Indonesia, among these Biak sent 2 delegates, Ds. F.J.S. Rumainum and Frans Kaisiepo. Another declaration from education employees delegates consisted of 16 people with Biak represented by L. Mandibodibo and N. Urbinas.
On 1 July 1998, the anniversary of the unsuccessful 1971 Papuan declaration of independence, Biak was the scene of what is commonly known as the 'Biak Massacre' or 'Bloody Biak'. Members of the Organisasi Papua Merdeka (Free Papua Movement), raised 'The Morning Star', at Kota Biak water tower and camped there for the next six days.
At 05:30 on 6 July 1998, the demonstration was fired upon by the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI or Indonesian Military). Many were shot while attempting to flee. Survivors were rounded up and forced to the docks where they were kept for several days while further demonstrators were caught.[citation needed]
About 200 of the original demonstrators were forcibly loaded onto two Indonesian naval vessels and taken to two different locations to be thrown into the ocean. In the following days, bodies washed up on Biak's shores, or were snarled in fishing nets. The TNI explained that the bodies turning up belonged to victims of the Aitape tsunami which occurred approximately 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) away in Papua New Guinea.
