Irian Jaya leaders demand autonomy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Irianese community in Jakarta called on
\nPresident B.J. Habibie yesterday to grant immediate autonomy to
\ntheir home province and accused the central government of failing
\nto bring prosperity to their territory.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the Irian Jaya community also demanded a change in
\nthe name of their province to West Papua, saying that Irian was
\nnot a name but an acronym for Ikut Republic Indonesia anti-
\nNederland (Join the anti-Netherlands Republic of Indonesia).<\/p>\n
\"We want the government to grant autonomy to Irian Jaya in the
\nform of `one nation, two systems',\" they said in a petition
\nsigned by 100 leaders of the Irianese community in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Their demands did not stop at autonomy.<\/p>\n
\"We, the people of Irian Jaya, will abandon the unitary state
\nof the Republic Indonesia and become an independent and sovereign
\nstate if human rights violations continue in Irian Jaya, or if
\nthe country begins to head toward a political system dominated by
\ncertain groups or religions,\" they said.<\/p>\n
They urged Habibie to open a dialog with church and community
\nleaders in Irian Jaya to gain an insight into their aspirations.<\/p>\n
Their statement contradicted the government's claims that
\nIrian Jaya's status as an integral part of Indonesia was settled
\nby a UN-sponsored plebiscite in 1962.<\/p>\n
The government statement was issued in response to violent
\nclashes between student protesters and soldiers in Jayapura and
\nBiak in which one student died earlier this month. The students
\nwere calling for a referendum on Irian Jaya's future status.<\/p>\n
The statement was issued by the Association of the Irian Jaya
\nCommunity in Jakarta, an organization headed by Yorrys Th.
\nRaweyai, who is also a leading figure in the Golkar-affiliated
\nPemuda Pancasila youth organization. Other signatories to the
\nstatement include A.L. Marani, who in 1963 took part in the
\ncampaign to free Irian Jaya from the Netherlands and unify it
\nwith Indonesia, as well as numerous scholars and religious
\nleaders.<\/p>\n
Activist David Obadiri told a media briefing that \"Papuans\" --
\nhe refused to call them Irianese\" -- were not demanding autonomy
\nor a separate state because they hated Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"We love the country so much that we have given up all our
\ngovernment posts, from the highest to the lowest, (to outsiders).
\nWe have given up our gold deposits, and even our dignity,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Extensive gold deposits are mined by PT Freeport Indonesia, an
\naffiliate of the giant American mining company Freeport McMoran
\nCopper and Gold Inc, in a huge copper mine in the interior of
\nIrian Jaya.<\/p>\n
The Irianese community leaders said their \"Indonesian
\nbrethren\" had consistently violated the human rights of the
\npeople of Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
Quoting church sources, Yorrys said that as many as 200,000
\nIrianese had been \"eliminated\" over the past 35 years.<\/p>\n
Other groups and leaders in Irian Jaya also pressed for
\nchanges in the status of their province yesterday.<\/p>\n
The Association of University Students of Irian Jaya in a
\nstatement received here called for \"a separation from the
\nRepublic of Indonesia and the formation of a nation called 'West
\nPapua'\". The statement was signed by Marthinus A. Werimon, Ronald
\nR. Tapilatu, Johanis R. Ronsumbre, Max R. Krey, John L.
\nRandongkir, and Magdalena Okoseray.<\/p>\n
Theis Eluay, chairman of the Irian Jaya Community Foundation,
\nendorsed the call for a dialog with Habibie, but stressed that
\nthe majority of the people in Irian Jaya wanted no less than full
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
\"We could hold an international dialog if necessary,\" Eluay
\ntold the Post by phone from Jayapura.<\/p>\n
Abdul Gafur, a deputy speaker of the House of Representatives
\nwho is heading an investigation into this month's clashes, said
\nfrom Jayapura that the recent spate of unrest was more a
\nreflection of discontent at the frequent injustices suffered by
\nthe people of Irian Jaya, rather than a genuine desire for a
\nseparate state, Antara reported. (aan)<\/p>",
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