C. Irian Jaya to be declared a province<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua<\/p>\n
Despite opposition from the Papua administration, local officials
\nare pressing forward with their plan to declare the Central Irian
\nJaya province on Saturday, with the support of the central
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
The declaration will be marked by the unveiling of a sign
\nbearing the name of the new province in front of the Graha TSD
\nbuilding in Timika, the capital of Mimika regency.<\/p>\n
The building will temporarily hold the main offices of the
\nCentral Irian Jaya administration.<\/p>\n
It will come six months after West Irian Jaya province was
\ndeclared by local officials on Feb. 6, 2003.<\/p>\n
The speaker of the Mimika legislative council, Andreas
\nAnggaibak, who also chairs the Central Irian Jaya establishment
\ncommittee, said Saturday's declaration ceremony would be attended
\nby the regents of Mimika, Biak Numfor, Yapen, Waropen, Nabire,
\nPuncak Jaya and Paniai.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the legislative councils from the eight regencies
\nthat will make up the new province of Central Irian Jaya will
\nalso attend, he said.<\/p>\n
Andreas said the establishment of Central Irian Jaya was based
\non Law No. 45\/1999 on the division of Papua into the provinces of
\nPapua, West Irian Jaya and Central Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
\"People have continued to press for the declaration of a
\nCentral Irian Jaya province since Presidential Instruction No.
\n1\/2003 was issued to speed up the implementation of Law No.
\n45\/1999,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno also issued decree No.
\n188.51\/1717\/SJ on July 30, 2003, recommending the immediate
\ncreation of the new province, he added.<\/p>\n
The planned declaration is opposed by Papua Governor Jaap
\nSalossa and the speaker of the Papua legislative council, John
\nIbo, who said it would contravene Law No. 21\/2001 on special
\nautonomy for Papua.<\/p>\n
Salossa also said it would be a violation of existing
\nprocedures if Central Irian Jaya province was declared, as it was
\nnever discussed with his administration in Jayapura, the capital
\nof Papua.<\/p>\n
\"If the people (in Mimika) have such a plan, they should
\ndiscuss it with us. They must notify us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ibo said the establishment of Central Irian Jaya province
\nwould violate Article 76 of the special autonomy law, which
\nstipulates that any such move must be approved by the Papua
\nPeople's Assembly (MRP), which still does not exist.<\/p>\n
The central government has continued to delay the enactment of
\na decree on the establishment of the MRP.<\/p>\n
\"So who approved the expansion plan?\" Ibo asked.<\/p>\n
However, the secretary of the Papua administration, Decky
\nAsmuruf, said it would be difficult to prevent the declaration of
\nthe new province as it seemed to have the support of people in
\nMimika and neighboring regencies.<\/p>\n
Yoseph Yatenea, a Komoro tribal leader who is also a
\ncouncillor in Mimika, said local residents backed the formation
\nof Central Irian Jaya province.<\/p>\n
They hope the new province will speed up development in the
\nregion and improve their welfare, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The sooner the better. If not now, when will the ambition of
\nlocals to set up a separate province be realized?\" Yoseph said.<\/p>\n
Analysts have criticized the central government's plan to
\nsplit Papua into three provinces, a move they say is in the
\ninterest of the authorities not the people.<\/p>\n
These critics question why the government never seriously
\nenforced the special autonomy law in the province, rather than
\npushing for its division.<\/p>\n
Papua, rich in natural resources, is home to just 2.3 million
\npeople. If split into three provinces, West Irian Jaya would be
\nexpected to be richer than the other two, given its vast natural
\nresources.<\/p>",
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