KWI wants wide-ranging autonomy for provinces<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Bishop Council of Indonesian (KWI) suggested
\non Thursday the new government offer wide-ranging autonomy to
\nprovinces to prevent the breakup of the nation.<\/p>\n
Council chairman Yosef Suwatan said treating the regions
\nfairly and empowering all people could calm calls for
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
\"If the people are treated fairly, respected and allowed to
\ndevelop themselves in their own regions, national disintegration
\nwill not happen,\" Yosef said.<\/p>\n
Yosef was apparently commenting on a wave of regional
\nmovements demanding for independence across the country,
\nparticularly from natural-resource rich provinces.<\/p>\n
Demands for independence are a form of self-affirmation, which
\nwas triggered by the dissatisfaction of the people, Yosef said.<\/p>\n
\"The people have lived under pressure for a long time and
\nfound the right moment to let go of their burdens in the era of
\nreform,\" he said.<\/p>\n
During a media conference to close the council's annual
\nmeeting, Yosef urged the government to enforce justice and
\npromote human rights in order to regain the public's trust.<\/p>\n
He said national reconciliation could be achieved if all
\nsegments of the nation were willing to admit their weaknesses and
\nlook ahead to a new democratic country.<\/p>\n
\"We should no longer employ militaristic and authoritarian
\napproaches in solving problems,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yosef, who also is the bishop of Manado, said national
\nreconciliation should involve the people who had fallen victim to
\nthe continuing conflicts in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"These people should be heard and respected so they will feel
\nthey are part of the country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The bishop called on the nation, particularly Christians, to
\ninitiate the reconciliation by changing their attitudes and
\nrecognizing differences among people.<\/p>\n
\"Along with the government's goodwill in empowering indigenous
\npeoples in each region, we can make national reconciliation come
\ntrue,\" Yosef said.<\/p>\n
Participants of the conference agreed the nation's new
\nleaders, President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, were the most acceptable people for the jobs.<\/p>\n
\"The two are accepted by all parties in the country and could
\nbe the ones to unite the people,\" Yosef said.<\/p>\n
The new leaders are expected to maintain their nationalist
\nvision and lead the country to reconciliation, he said. (04)<\/p>",
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