Oevaang Oeray

Oevaang Oeray was born in Kedamin, Kapuas Hulu, on 18 August 1922. He was the youngest child born to Ledjo and Hurei, Dayak farmers and rubber workers.[5]

In 1959 Oevang was selected as the Governor of West Kalimantan by the provincial legislative board. This was confirmed by President Sukarno with Presidential Decree 465/1959, dated 24 December 1959. Oevang's term was to last from 1 January 1960 until 12 July 1966.[6] The success of his Dayak Unity Party, which received 146,054 votes during the 1955 legislative election,[6] led to non-Dayaks accusing him of nepotism, selecting only ethnic Dayaks for government employment and thus dividing the province on ethnic lines.[3]

In 1964 General Supardjo, the commander of the IV Mandala Siaga Fighting Squad, took complete military control of the province. He left the area in 1965 after receiving a letter from his wife[7] and was replaced by A.J. Winoto, who fought against guerrillas along the Sarawak border.[7] Oevaang Oeray lent Winoto political support.[7]

As Oevaang Oeray was close to President Sukarno/Soekarnois, after the 30 September Movement killed six generals in Jakarta Oevaang Oeray was accused of being involved with the Indonesian Communist Party.[5] Although Oevaang Oeray was a leftist, he was not a supporter of the Communist Party.[7] Many other ethnic Dayaks were accused of being communist sympathisers during this time.[6]

On 12 July 1966 Internal Minister Basuki Rahmat dismissed Oevaang Oeray, replacing him with Lieutenant Colonel Soemadi.[8] This was a little more than two months before his term was to expire,[5] and based on Decree Number UP.12/2/43-912 of 12 July 1966.[8] Soemadi was reconfirmed in 1967.[8]

The government of West Kalimantan has put forth Oeray and Djeranding Abdurrahman as possible National Heroes, but as of July 2012 this title has not been granted.[9] This proposal has received support from the People's Consultative Assembly leader Hajriyanto Y Thohari.[9][10]