Failure of a development plan<\/p>\n
By Sri Edi Swasono<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): We have failed in the past three decades to
\ncorrect the existing uneven development. Instead, our national
\ndevelopment plan has, intentionally or otherwise, brought about
\nwide gaps among regions.<\/p>\n
We have adopted national development programs which ignored
\nthe fact that Indonesia is a unique archipelago -- pluralistic
\nand rich in local specifics -- facing multidimensional
\nchallenges.<\/p>\n
We have long realized that we have been tardy in developing
\nIrian Jaya. Yet we remain inactive, motionless and trapped in a
\ncultural impasse. We remain incapable of being more creative in
\nhandling the developmental challenges to accommodate the local
\nregional demands.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman Wahid has committed an irreversible
\nmistake by agreeing that Irian Jaya be renamed Papua without the
\nHouse of Representatives' approval, ignoring the political and
\nlegal implications of the move. Senior diplomats including
\nSumaryo Suryokusumo have argued that changing the name was a big
\nmistake. West Irian is the name that is accepted by the
\ninternational world, according to the United Nations resolution.<\/p>\n
I have also protested the President's decision but we need to
\ntry to understand the goodwill, if misplaced, of Abdurrahman as a
\nnovice in state affairs.<\/p>\n
Former president Soeharto in 1993 had assigned then minister
\nB.J. Habibie to lead a national commission to accelerate eastern
\nIndonesia's development.<\/p>\n
Had this project been completed, this mess would not have
\nhappened. True, there was development in Irian Jaya, but only of
\nroutine projects. In addition it was merely a development taking
\nplace in Irian Jaya, not a development from the people, by the
\npeople and for the people of Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
There were no participation or emancipation for the Irianese
\nin the developments. They were national development objects but
\nthe local people did not become the subjects of the development.<\/p>\n
President Abdurrahman set up the office of state minister in
\ncharge of the acceleration of developments in east Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Will Junior Minister for the Acceleration for the Development
\nof Eastern Indonesia, Manuel Kaisiepo, be able to achieve this
\ngoal and establish models of development that involves the
\nparticipation and emancipation of, in particular, the Irianese?<\/p>\n
The signs of neglect abound. Ten percent of (mining giant)
\nFreeport Indonesia's shares was easily granted to leading
\nbusinessman Aburizal Bakrie -- no trace of discomfort on his part
\nwhen so easily acquiescing them. It was reported later that the
\nshares were transferred to another businessman, Bob Hasan.<\/p>\n
These 10 percent shares, or more if possible, should have been
\nowned by the Irian Jaya regional administration.<\/p>\n
But Irianese have merely become spectators of the
\ndevelopments. They have been sidelined. But our brethren in the
\neastern part of Indonesia should know that most of us in the
\nwestern part of the archipelago have never agreed to the
\ninjustices occurring in Irian Jaya or elsewhere. The pain of the
\nIrianese, the East Timorese and the Maluku people, is also ours.<\/p>\n
Police have declared a state of red alert, following the
\nrecent unrest in Wamena which claimed dozens of lives. Thousands
\nof people have been displaced and this is extremely sorrowful and
\nheartrending.<\/p>\n
The incident followed the forceful hauling down of the Morning
\nStar (Bintang Kejora) flags by police troops, as instructed by
\nNational Police chief.<\/p>\n
A directive on how to carry out this instruction should have
\nbeen issued to prevent such incidents from taking place.<\/p>\n
Perhaps President Abdurrahman should issue guidelines to
\nanticipate the consequences of the existing national policy on
\nprohibiting the hoisting of the Morning Star flag (or the Free
\nAceh Movement flag of Aceh).<\/p>\n
The Morning Star flag will continue to fly in Irian Jaya
\nunless there is real development -- one that welcomes local
\nparticipation and emancipation.<\/p>\n
The Morning Star flag is the West Papuan's identity, a
\npersonification and expression of the customs and culture of
\ntheir ancestors; it is their heartbeat.<\/p>\n
The flag is at the same time a strong protest against
\narbitrary actions, injustice, and sociopolitical and
\nsociocultural insubordination.<\/p>\n
The problem is, where should the Morning Star flag be placed
\nor positioned in the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia
\nwhich has its own independence, sovereignty, and territorial
\nintegrity?<\/p>\n
The Morning Star flag should be allowed to fly under the
\nprotection of the national Red and White flag. It must not be
\nplaced on equal heights on the mast or be of the same size.<\/p>\n
It must be smaller than the Red and White and it must be
\npositioned under the Red and White or on the left side of it,
\nespecially in local and customary ceremonies.<\/p>\n
The flags of states or provinces in other countries also fly
\nunder such subordination, though this is not known as yet in
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
However, if this flag policy were applied to Irian Jaya
\nexclusively, it would discriminate against other provinces. So
\nthere should first be a national legislation that is enforced
\nthroughout the country stipulating that provincial flags shall
\nfly under the protection of the Red and White.<\/p>\n
Similarly it may be identified, determined and agreed upon
\nthat provincial flags exist as a reflection of the personality
\nand identity of the provinces. The flags of all provinces, like
\ncontingent flags, must be seen as \"components\" of the Red and
\nWhite.<\/p>\n
Take the logo of the Jakarta administration for example; it
\nused to grace the left and right front doors of Jakarta's
\nofficial cars. Why not hoist flags showing the logos in local
\noffices, positioning them under or on the left-hand side of the
\nRed and White?<\/p>\n
This move may alleviate fears of separatism while recognizing
\nthe customs, culture and identity of the societies in the
\nprovinces concerned.<\/p>\n
The writer is chairman of a mass organization called SOKSI-
\nReformasi and leader of the National Reform Movement.<\/p>",
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