Irian Jaya not yet ready for autonomy: Governor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Irian Jaya Governor Freddy Numberi threw cold
\nwater on calls for greater autonomy yesterday, arguing that
\nIndonesia's easternmost province lacked sufficiently skilled
\nhuman resources for such a responsibility.<\/p>\n
The retired navy commodore asserted that awarding the
\nresource-rich province autonomy would only lead to more
\n\"importing\" of experts from Java or other provinces.<\/p>\n
\"I think the policy will spark criticism, demonstrations and
\nriots here -- which in turn will render the government and the
\nprovincial administration unable to work together to solve
\nproblems, mainly the economic crisis,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Similar problems would also arise if the province was granted
\nindependence, he said.<\/p>\n
Numberi stated his view during a meeting with 24 tribal chiefs
\nfrom 12 regencies in the provincial capital of Jayapura.<\/p>\n
With an area four times larger than the country's main island
\nof Java, Irian Jaya has a population of just four million, most
\nof whom are traditional nomadic tribespeople.<\/p>\n
Non-governmental organizations and church groups in the area
\nhave said that development in the province over the past three
\ndecades ignored the indigenous Irianese.<\/p>\n
Early last month, the media spotlight was cast on the region
\nwhen the military opened fire at pro-independence activists who
\nhad hoisted the outlawed Free Papua Movement flag. At least two
\nactivists died.<\/p>\n
Church leaders in the province have called on the government
\nto pay serious attention to the people's aspirations.<\/p>\n
Numberi claimed yesterday that pro-independence sentiment came
\nonly from \"certain parties\" which were unaware of the formal
\nturnover of the province from the Dutch colonizers to the
\nIndonesian government.<\/p>\n
A referendum was held in 1969 through which the Irianese
\ndecided to join Indonesia, he maintained.<\/p>\n
Numberi said his administration was more interested in working
\non improving the quality of the province's human resources.<\/p>\n
\"If we have enough qualified human resources, we're maybe
\nready to be given broader autonomy and if it is needed Irian Jaya
\ncould have two or three provinces,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On Sunday Numberi also pressed the central government to allow
\nlocal people to mine for gold in Topo village, Nabire regency and
\nin Jayapura.<\/p>\n
He said the proposal had been sent to Jakarta twice -- on Dec.
\n30, 1996 and June 1998 -- but there had still been no reply, he
\nsaid, as quoted by Antara. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/irian-jaya-not-yet-ready-for-autonomy-governor-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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