Govt must be 'consistent on Papua'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The central government must consistently implement the Special
\nAutonomy Law in Papua in order to help quell the demands for
\nindependence for the resource-rich province, provincial governor
\nJacobus Perviddya Solossa said.<\/p>\n
He said that special autonomy was aimed at effectively
\nrestoring the dignity of the Papuan people.<\/p>\n
"The special autonomy granted by the central government in
\n2001 to counter the secessionist movement and make amends for
\npast mistakes is actually a form of internal self-determination.
\nIt is aimed at lifting up the dignity of the Papuan people," he
\nsaid at the launching of his book here on Monday.<\/p>\n
The book entitled: Otonomi Khusus Papua Mengangkat Martabat
\nRakyat Papua di Dalam NKRI (Papuan special autonomy improves the
\ndignity of the Papuan people within the Unitary Republic of
\nIndonesia) was based on his dissertation for his doctorate from
\nPadjadjaran University, Bandung, West Java, in May.<\/p>\n
The book launch comes as top central government officials are
\nstruggling to overcome renewed demands both in the province and
\noverseas for the separation of Papua from Indonesia. The Papuan
\npeople long suffered as the central government had been accused
\nof pillaging the province's natural resources, while economic
\ndevelopment remains scant and human rights abuses rampant.<\/p>\n
But despite the introduction of special autonomy more than
\nfour years ago, resentment lingers as the central government has
\nbeen accused of inconsistency, particularly as regards the 2004
\ndecision to partition Papua into two provinces: Papua and West
\nIrian Jaya. The recent launching of a report in the Netherlands
\nquestioning the validity of the UN-sponsored 1969 "referendum" on
\nthe integration of Papua into Indonesia provides new ammunition
\nfor the secessionist movement.<\/p>\n
The central government last week was forced to cancel the
\nfirst regional election in West Irian Jaya amid protests from
\nPapuan leaders, including those sitting in the newly-established
\nPapuan People's Council (MRP), a powerful political body
\nrepresenting the interests of Papuan people, who said that the
\ncreation of the new province violated the Special Autonomy Law as
\nPapuan leaders had never been consulted.<\/p>\n
Solossa said that old problems had resurfaced over the last
\nfew months as the central government was inconsistent in
\nimplementing the Special Autonomy Law, which provides greater
\npower for the Papua administration to manage its social and
\neconomic affairs, and a greater share of the revenue raised in
\nthe province from natural resources.<\/p>\n
"For example, the government has not disbursed payments from
\nthe General Allocation Fund (DAU) on time; the government has not
\nprovided special funds for infrastructural development; and has
\nnot been transparent about how much its gets from natural
\nresources," said the governor.<\/p>\n
"These kind of problems would not emerge if the government set
\nup a truth and reconciliation commission and held fair trials of
\nthose guilty of violating human rights, gives more special
\nautonomy funds and provided better education and health
\nservices," he said.<\/p>\n
He said Papuan people had no objection to the province's
\npartition provided this was done in consultation with the Papuan
\npeople.<\/p>\n
"Papua, which is 3.5 times bigger than Java, should be
\ndeveloped into five provinces and the government should appoint a
\ncoordinating minister or a senior governor to ensure coordination
\namong the provinces," he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Jayapura, capital of Papua, Hermanus Indow,
\nchairman of the Front for the Establishment of West Irian Jaya,
\ncalled on the MRP to give a positive response to Jakarta's recent
\nmove to prepare an umbrella law for the province to allow it to
\nhold a gubernatorial election.<\/p>\n
He also said the MRP should treat the new province as the
\nequal of Papua and facilitate dialog to ease differences and gaps
\nbetween the two provinces.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-must-be-consistent-on-papua-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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