Irian Jaya's name change receives warm welcome<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): What's in a name? Quite a lot, according to a
\nyouth group from Irian Jaya, or what is now being termed Papua.<\/p>\n
A group of Irianese students who claim to represent the West
\nPapuan Community and All-Indonesia Papuan Students Alliance
\nhailed President Abdurrahman Wahid's decision at the start of the
\nnew year to grant demands for a change in the name of the
\nprovince of Irian Jaya to Papua.<\/p>\n
\"It is a very wise and accountable decision from scientific,
\nhistoric and legal points of views,\" group leader Dimianus
\nWanimbo said.<\/p>\n
Dimianus contended that the term Papua was the old name for
\nthe territory, dating back to 1511 when Portuguese sailors called
\nit Isla de Papoia.<\/p>\n
However, they differed with Abdurrahman on the meaning of
\nIrian.<\/p>\n
Dimianis contends that IRIAN was originally an acronym for a
\npro-Indonesia youth organization established at the end of 1945.<\/p>\n
The acronym stands for Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti Nederland
\n(Joining the Republic of Indonesia Anti-Netherlands).<\/p>\n
During his visit to the province Abdurrahman said he had
\ndecided to change the name because Irian is an Arabic word
\nmeaning naked.<\/p>\n
While the President has declared the name change, the House of
\nRepresentatives has yet to officially approve it.<\/p>\n
During a gathering earlier this week, the youth group called
\non the central government to respond to the feverish calls for
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
Dimianus said one of the key points of discussion would be a
\ngovernment explanation for its 1961 claim over the western part
\nof Papua island while it was under Dutch administration.<\/p>\n
\"The government's openness is imperative to solve all problems
\nthat have led West Papuan people to a feeling that they are not
\npart of Indonesia,\" he said.<\/p>\n
West Papua was integrated with Indonesia in 1963 after a
\npopular consultation under the supervision of the United Nations.
\nSince then the government has changed the name of the region to
\nIrian Jaya.<\/p>\n
\"The claim over West Papua was driven by the imperialistic
\nambitions of Sukarno and Muhammad Yamin as aired during sessions
\nof the preparatory board of Indonesia's independence (in 1945),\"
\nDimianis said, adding that other board members, including
\nMohammad Hatta and A.A. Maramis, initially opposed the proposal.<\/p>\n
Clamors for independence have been mounting in the territory,
\nespecially as growing accusations of human rights abuses grow.<\/p>\n
Independence calls peaked with the hoisting of separatist
\nrebel flags on Dec. 1 to coincide with the 35th anniversary of
\nthe supposed declaration of the independence of West Papua.<\/p>\n
The students also blamed the international community for
\nsupporting Indonesia's claim, which stifled the decolonization
\nprocess of West Papua.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile from Jayapura, Irian Jaya, local legislator Anton
\nKelanangame on Friday also added to the voice of concern from
\nIndonesia's eastern most province.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that most people in the province felt the
\ngovernment were not paying an equal share of attention towards
\nthe concerns of people from Irian Jaya unlike Aceh or Maluku.<\/p>\n
He added one of the most urgent needs is to resolve various
\nhuman rights abuses which he claimed were perpetrated by security
\npersonnel.<\/p>\n
Anton noted that several groups had recommended that the
\ngovernment seriously investigate and resolve these matters.<\/p>\n
\"However up to now no legal action has been taken to resolve
\nthe cases,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He remarked in the past Irian Jaya Military commanders, the
\ngovernor and the province police chief had formed a team to
\ninvestigate these cases however nothing has come out of it.<\/p>\n
\"That's why some Papuans have come to the conclusion that the
\nrights abuses were purposely committed to eradicate ethnic
\nPapuans,\" he charged. (04\/eba)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/irian-jayas-name-change-receives-warm-welcome-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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