Local leaders want police chief replaced<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Community leaders expressed outrage on
\nWednesday at a ban imposed by provincial police chief Brig. Gen.
\nHotman Siagian, which prohibits disseminating information from
\ntheir recent meeting with President B.J. Habibie, during which
\nthey conveyed a separatism preference.<\/p>\n
The police chief last week issued a directive banning the 100
\ncommunity leaders from speaking to the public about the meeting.
\nHe also prohibited the establishment of West Papua youth
\norganizations and the posts where they were to gather.<\/p>\n
He said the activities had created listlessness, division and
\nfear among people.<\/p>\n
However, Zadrak Taime, one of the community leaders who met
\nwith Habibie in late February, said Hotman's directive had
\ncreated the community fears.<\/p>\n
\"If the police chief does not retract his directive and if
\nunrest breaks out, then it will be the responsibility of the
\npolice chief,\" said Rev. Herman Awom from the Christian
\nEvangelical Church.<\/p>\n
\"If this happens, don't ask religious leaders to act as
\nfiremen.\"<\/p>\n
Mohammad Thoha Alhammid, another of the 100 leaders who met
\nHabibie, called the directive \"undemocratic\".<\/p>\n
\"He should have consulted other people and groups who would be
\naffected by the directive.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Jakarta, a limited Cabinet meeting on political
\nand security affairs on Thursday discussed the possibility of
\ndividing Irian Jaya into three provinces before the June 7
\ngeneral election.<\/p>\n
\"The coordinating minister for political and security affairs
\nhas ordered the home affairs minister to prepare a bill on
\ndividing Irian Jaya into three provinces before the election,\"
\nassistant to the coordinating minister, I Wayan Karya, said on
\nThursday.<\/p>\n
Karya said the plan was not a government response to calls for
\na separate state made by Irianese groups.<\/p>\n
\"The move aims to increase development programs in the
\nprovince, which is 3.5 times bigger than the island of Java,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The meeting was attended by Defense Minister and Armed Forces
\nchief Gen. Wiranto, chief of the Indonesian Police Gen
\nRoesmanhadi, Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and
\nIndustry Ginandjar Kartasasmita and Minister of Information
\nMuhammad Yunus. (34)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/local-leaders-want-police-chief-replaced-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}