Group demands new province in Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi<\/p>\n
Some 500 members of the Mandar ethnic group, a dominant tribe in
\nwestern Sulawesi, gathered at the South Sulawesi governor's
\noffice and legislative council on Wednesday to demand the
\nimmediate establishment of a West Sulawesi province.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators came from five regencies -- Mamuju, Mamuju
\nUtara, Majene, Mamasa and Polmas. They began their demonstration
\nat the South Sulawesi governor's office at 9:30 a.m.<\/p>\n
After Governor Amin Syam declined to meet with the
\ndemonstrators and security officials blocked their entrance to
\nthe governor's office, the situation became tense.<\/p>\n
One demonstrator broke a window and several others jumped onto
\ndesks and demanding the governor and his deputy come out and meet
\nwith them.<\/p>\n
With the governor and his deputy were reportedly out of town,
\nthe demonstrators were received by the chairman of the national
\nunity affairs division at the governor's office, Andi Baso
\nMakmur.<\/p>\n
Those gathered demanded Andi Baso fax their petition for the
\nestablishment of a West Sulawesi province to the House of
\nRepresentatives and the Ministry of Home Affairs in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
They also told the official to make sure the petition reached
\nthe governor as soon as he returned to his office.<\/p>\n
The petition, which was read out by Ma'mun Hasanuddin, the
\nbrother of former coordinating minister for people's welfare and
\ncurrent ambassador to Iran Basri Hasanuddin, accuses the South
\nSulawesi provincial administration of being behind a delay in the
\nendorsement of a proposal for the establishment of the West
\nSulawesi province.<\/p>\n
\"Based on our own monitoring since the preparation stages for
\nthe establishment of West Sulawesi province, we have concluded
\nthat the South Sulawesi provincial authority has withdrawn its
\nsupport and has been seeking out possibilities to prevent the
\nestablishment of the province,\" Ma'mun said.<\/p>\n
Sutardji, a councillor with the Polmas regency legislative
\ncouncil, said House Deputy Speaker AM Fatwa, who visited Majene
\nregency last week, hinted that the House had agreed in principle
\nto the establishment of the new province.<\/p>\n
But the problem now rests with the government, which has yet
\nto give the green light to the proposal, Sutardji quoted Fatwa as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
The petition also demands that the South Sulawesi
\nadministration invite a team from the Directorate-General of
\nRegional Autonomy at the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct
\nfield observations to judge whether the people are prepared for a
\nnew West Sulawesi province.<\/p>\n
The petition demands the House immediately endorse the draft
\nlaw on the establishment of West Sulawesi province and
\ndeliberate the draft at its next session in August.<\/p>\n
\"They (the House) have no other reasons to delay the
\ndeliberations on the proposal to establish the West Sulawesi
\nprovince, as all of the requirements have been met,\" Rahmat
\nHasanuddin, also a brother of Basri Hasanuddin, said.<\/p>\n
Rahmat said should this demand be ignored, the Mandar people
\nwould boycott the 2004 elections and carry out \"social
\ndisobedience\".<\/p>\n
Currently, the five regencies are a part of the South Sulawesi
\nprovince.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/group-demands-new-province-in-sulawesi-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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