Govt shelves plan to split Papua into three provinces<\/p>\n
Nethy Darma Somba and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta\/Jayapura<\/p>\n
The government has for the time being shelved plans to create
\nthree new provinces from the country's easternmost province of
\nPapua after Papua Governor J.P. Salossa strongly argued against
\nthe move.<\/p>\n
Meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Friday, the
\ngovernor contended that infrastructure and human resources in the
\nprovince were not yet ready for the establishment of new
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
"It takes five to ten years of preparations for the new
\nprovinces and we have to consider people's readiness for such
\nactions," Salossa said after the meeting.<\/p>\n
Former president B.J. Habibie enacted a law splitting the
\nprovince into three in 1999 to speed up development in the
\nterritory.<\/p>\n
The law, however, was strongly opposed by Papuans who
\nsuspected the move as an attempt by the central government to
\nweaken their struggle for independence, prompting the Habibie
\nadministration to delay its implementation.<\/p>\n
But until Habibie was replaced by Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid
\nin 1999, the law had not been implemented.<\/p>\n
Since Megawati assumed the presidential post in July 2001,
\ndemands for the establishment of new provinces in Papua
\nresurfaced and the government has given a strong signal that it
\nwould soon implement the law by Habibie.<\/p>\n
Salossa said Friday that President Megawati emphasized the
\nimportance of sufficient preparations and that the central
\ngovernment would not push for the establishment of new provinces
\nthere.<\/p>\n
"The President said that such action should be carefully
\nassessed and it does not have to be conducted immediately," the
\ngovernor said.<\/p>\n
Sources at the State Palace told The Jakarta Post earlier that
\nMegawati planned to announce the new provinces when she visited
\nPapua on Dec. 25.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said that as
\nlong as the law was not revoked, it would be implemented as soon
\nas possible.<\/p>\n
Salossa also said Friday that President Megawati would visit
\nPapua province on Dec. 25.<\/p>\n
"The President will attend Christmas celebrations in the
\nprovince and inaugurate the opening of Tangguh Liquid Natural Gas
\n(LNG)," Salossa said.<\/p>\n
Deputy Papua Governor Constant Karma said the President would
\nattend Christmas celebrations at Cendrawasih sports complex on
\nDec. 25 to be attended by thousands of Papuan Christians.<\/p>\n
The President, who will be accompanied by husband Taufik
\nKiemas, is slated to receive the highest customary merit of
\nPapuan traditional tribes, Constant Karma maintained.<\/p>\n
On the next day, Megawati will be flying to Biak regency to
\nofficially mark the beginning of Tangguh LNG projects
\nreconstruction.<\/p>\n
Deputy Governor Karma said that the visit would be very
\nmeaningful for Papuan people as it could help heal last year's
\ndisappointment when Megawati suddenly canceled her planned visit
\nthere.<\/p>\n
Megawati's predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid also celebrated
\nChristmas in Papua in 2000 and in 1999 and spent New Year's Eve
\nat the Jayawijaya mountain top.<\/p>\n
"It is good if the President will celebrate Christmas with us,
\nhopefully it would not be like last year when the visit was
\ncanceled," a housewife Mama Salomina told the Post Friday.<\/p>\n
Papua, where a separatist movement has been struggling for
\nindependence since the 1960s, was granted special autonomy status
\non Jan. 1, 2002 in a bid to appease the rebels there.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-shelves-plan-to-split-papua-into-three-provinces-1447893297",
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