Draft political resolution adopted at Papuan Congress<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): The Papuan Congress has officially
\nadopted a draft political resolution that affirms the province's
\ndetermination to separate from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The five-point statement, approved by the congress' political
\naffairs committee on Saturday, states that West Papua has been an
\nindependent state since Dec. 1, 1961, when Irian Jaya separatist
\nleaders declared the territory's independence from the
\nNetherlands.<\/p>\n
\"West Papua is not a part of Indonesia,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
The independence declaration is expected to be formally
\nproclaimed by the congress presidium on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The six-day congress was initially scheduled to be closed on
\nSaturday but participants agreed to extend it till Sunday to
\nenable more of the 2,700 participants to make a statement.<\/p>\n
The 31-member Papuan Presidium Council has also been tasked to
\nseek recognition from the international community for West
\nPapua's statehood.<\/p>\n
The congress is also expected to endorse Theys H. Eluay as
\nchairman and Amungme tribal leader Tom Beanal as vice chairman of
\nthe presidium when it ends on Sunday.<\/p>\n
In March, Irian Jaya police officially named Theys along with
\neight local leaders as suspects for plotting against the state.<\/p>\n
Tom, who is also a commissioner of giant copper and gold
\nmining company PT Freeport Indonesia, was also called as a
\nwitness in the case but not a suspect.<\/p>\n
However, at the time, he refused to be questioned by police.<\/p>\n
\"This declaration does not mean Papua is separating from
\nIndonesia because legally, and according to our history, Papua
\nnever became part of Indonesia,\" Theys said in his speech, which
\nwas received with huge applause.<\/p>\n
\"Papuan people are different from Indonesians,\" Theys
\nasserted.<\/p>\n
But Theys affirmed that Papuans would stick to dialogs and
\nother peaceful means to achieve their independence goal.<\/p>\n
Ambassador<\/p>\n
To facilitate efforts to gain international recognition, the
\ncongress agreed to appoint a special ambassador-at-large to
\nconduct a worldwide campaign.<\/p>\n
Spokesman for Papuan natives from Europe, Victor Kaisiepo,
\nsaid his delegation would convey the results of the congress to
\ninternational bodies and countries.<\/p>\n
The congress plenary session also officially chose Papua as
\nthe name of the state. It also adopted My Land Papua as its
\nnational anthem, and the Mambruk bird as its state symbol.<\/p>\n
Its official currency will be called the New Guinea golden.<\/p>\n
\"The Morning Star flag will rise forever in our motherland,\"
\nshouted Thaha Alhamid, moderator of the plenary session.<\/p>\n
The congress in its final declaration also assured the rights
\nof the minority and nonindigenous people and vowed to protect the
\nactivities of various enterprises, but would require them to pay
\ntaxes to finance the struggle of the Papuan people.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, donning their traditional costumes and carrying
\nspears and arrows, hundreds of Irianese from remote areas, mostly
\nfrom the Dani tribe, arrived in Jayapura on Saturday to celebrate
\nthe congress.<\/p>\n
Their arrival sparked some concern among non-Irianese
\nresidents in the city. Many residents fled their homes and took
\nrefuge at a nearby military base.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of police officers patrolled strategic places in the
\ncity but kept their distance from the congress venue, the
\nCendrawasih Sports Hall.<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya Police Chief Brig. Gen. S.Y. Wenas expressed his
\nconfidence that the congress task force itself would be able to
\nmaintain security over the congress.<\/p>\n
\"The situation is relatively conducive here,\" Wenas said.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid has warned that the government
\nwill not hesitate to take harsh action if the people in the
\nprovince take concrete measures to realize their independence
\naspiration.<\/p>\n
In 1963, then president Sukarno led Indonesia's fight to
\nregain the mineral-rich territory from the Netherlands. It was
\nofficially integrated into Indonesia after a UN-sponsored
\nplebiscite in 1969.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman has assigned Sukarno's daughter Vice President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri to lead efforts in taming the rebellious
\nprovince. Megawati described social and welfare problems as the
\nroot of separatist movements.<\/p>\n
On Saturday during a visit to Tomohon, North Sulawesi, the
\npresident expressed confidence that a majority of people in Irian
\nJaya still wanted to remain with Indonesia, while only a small
\nnumber, those represented in the congress, desired an independent
\nstate.<\/p>\n
Separately House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
\ncalled on the government to remain alert towards the growing
\naspirations of independence in the province.<\/p>\n
\"We should remain alert, Irian Jaya could separate like East
\nTimor,\" he said during a visit to Pangkal Pinang, South Sumatra.<\/p>\n
\"We can not tolerate a part of the unitary state to separate\".
\n(eba\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/draft-political-resolution-adopted-at-papuan-congress-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}