Lindsay Murdoch, Jakarta – Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid yesterday warned of a military crackdown in Papua after a landmark congress in the far-eastern province declared it was no longer part of his country.

If necessary, Indonesian police, backed by the military, would act to secure the vast, resource-rich province, formerly called Irian Jaya, he said. "If that means doing something to people without violating human rights, they will do that."

Mr Wahid and key figures in his enfeebled government are worried that Sunday's declaration by 2,700 delegates at the week-long Papuan People's Congress will lead to the disintegration of Indonesia.

Mr Wahid also warned against international interference in the province's affairs. Jakarta's relations with other countries would depend on them declaring they would not support challenges to Indonesia's territorial integrity, he said.

The congress had urged The Netherlands, the United States and the United Nations to reassess their recognition of Indonesia's rule of Papua, which followed a 1969 UN-supervised plebiscite widely regarded as an Indonesian-orchestrated sham.

The congress moderator, Mr Franzalberth Joku, said at the weekend: "[The plebiscite] ... was conducted under threats of intimidation, sadistic killing, military repression and other immoral acts." The Prime Minister, Mr Howard, and the Foreign Minister, Mr Downer, last week ruled out Australian support for Papua's independence following a claim by Indonesia's Foreign Minister, Mr Alwi Shihab, that several Australian non-government organisations were stirring up trouble in Papua. But Mr Shihab's comments puzzled Canberra because no Australian agencies are operating in the province.

Mr Wahid said yesterday that unnamed countries had apparently "expressed that they admitted Indonesia's sovereignty, including Irian Jaya". He criticised the congress for allowing foreigners to attend.

Indonesian officials were particularly upset by remarks made by delegates from neighbouring Papua New Guinea that were seen as supporting the province's independence. A US diplomat attended the congress but kept a low profile. No Australian representatives were present.

After providing more than $A172,000 to fund the congress, held in the provincial capital, Jayapura, Mr Wahid criticised it for not allowing Papuans who supported Indonesia's rule to attend.

"The majority obviously want to stay with Indonesia," he said. "Because of that the Government will not acknowledge the congress." Mr Wahid said his government must now maintain the country's Constitution and territorial integrity, including Papua.

The congress unanimously passed a resolution declaring that "West Papua has been an independent nation since December 1, 1961". The date refers to when the territory was granted independence from the Dutch as Indonesia escalated its military campaign to claim sovereignty.

Indonesia won the war in 1963 and Papua's annexation was given international recognition in 1969 following the plebiscite. The congress set December 1 this year as the date for countries to reassess their recognition of Indonesia's sovereignty of Papua.