JP\/5\/irja<\/p>\n
Students, other Papuans reject C. Irian Jaya province<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nTimika, Papua<\/p>\n
Hundreds of students occupied the Mimika legislative council
\nbuilding in Papua on Friday to express their opposition to a
\ncontroversial central government decision to divide the province.<\/p>\n
The Communication Forum for Pegunungan Tengah Students
\n(FKMPT), local residents and members of the Amungme tribe vowed
\nto continue the occupation until Saturday, to pressure the
\ngovernment to reverse its plan, which they said would cause
\nfurther suffering among Papuans and could even lead to ethnic
\nwar.<\/p>\n
\"We, students and people in Pegunungan Tengah, are ready to
\nboycott the 2004 general elections in Papua, particularly in this
\ndistrict, if our demands are not heeded,\" FKMPT said a statement.<\/p>\n
It said splitting the province into Papua, West Irian Jaya and
\nCentral Irian Jaya, based on Law No. 45\/1999 and Presidential
\nInstruction No. 1\/2003, violated autonomy granted to Papua two
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
Copies of the statement were sent to President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais
\nand other national leaders.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators said the plan ignored the concerns and
\nrights of Papuans who were opposed to it.<\/p>\n
\"We also firmly reject the leadership of Megawati and (Vice
\nPresident) Hamzah Haz and urge the central government and the
\nHouse to form a new government concerned with the poor,\" the
\nstatement added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia integrated resource-rich Papua into its territory 40
\nyears ago, but most indigenous Papuans are still dirt poor,
\ndespite special autonomy, which aimed to give Papuans more power
\nand a greater slice of profits from the province's resources.<\/p>\n
The special autonomy law legislates that the government must
\nestablish a Papuan People's Assembly, but it has not eventuated.<\/p>\n
Papua Governor Jaap Salossa and the speaker of the Papua
\nlegislative council, John Ibo, have expressed their opposition to
\nthe establishment of the new provinces.<\/p>\n
Ibo said their establishment would violate Article 76 of the
\nspecial autonomy law, which stipulates that any such move must be
\napproved by the MRP, the establishment of which continues to be
\ndelayed by the central government.<\/p>\n
National Solidarity for Papua (SNUP) say that establishing the
\nassembly would quell separatism desires among Papuans, who have
\nlong harbored resentment over Jakarta's history of human rights
\nabuse and exploitation of the province.<\/p>\n
Protest leader Thomas Wanmang said the creation of the new
\nprovinces was confusing.<\/p>\n
\"I don't see that people's welfare will improve after the
\nsplit of Papua. I think indigenous people will suffer further
\nbecause of their lack of education,\" Thomas said.<\/p>\n
This would spark ethnic conflicts in Papua due to the widening
\ndisparity between the impoverished indigenous people and the more
\ndeveloped migrants, he added.<\/p>\n
Mimika legislative council speaker Andreas Anggaibak, who also
\nchairs the Central Irian Jaya establishment committee, said on
\nFriday that the declaration plan would go ahead on Saturday as
\nscheduled, despite mounting opposition.<\/p>\n
\"We will continue to realize the plan tomorrow (Saturday). No
\none can delay or cancel it. Such a protest is normal.\"<\/p>\n
The declaration will be marked by the unveiling of a sign
\nbearing the name of the new province in front of the Graha TSD
\nbuilding on Jl. Cendrawasih No. 28 in Timika, the capital of
\nMimika.<\/p>\n
The building will be a temporary home to Central Irian Jaya
\nadministration.<\/p>\n
The new province was declared by local officials on Feb. 6,
\n2003.<\/p>\n
Andreas said Saturday's declaration ceremony would be attended
\nby the regents of Mimika, Biak Numfor, Yapen, Waropen, Nabire,
\nPuncak Jaya and Paniai.<\/p>\n
Leaders of the legislative councils from the eight regencies
\nthat make up the new province of Central Irian Jaya would also be
\npresent, he said.<\/p>\n
Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Paulus Waterpauw said at
\nleast four companies of personnel were being deployed to guard
\nthe declaration ceremony.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp5irja-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}