More protests over Papua split<\/p>\n
SURABAYA: Dozens of Papuan students staged a rally outside the
\nSurabaya City Council on Thursday to protest Jakarta's move to
\nsplit Papua into three provinces, saying it would sow disunity
\namong the people.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Surabaya Papua Student Union Nicodemus said
\nthat all Papuan students rejected the addition of two new
\nprovinces.<\/p>\n
"Some of the Papuan people oppose the plan, so we, as part of
\nthem, are here to support their aspiration," Nicodemus said.<\/p>\n
In January, President Megawati Soekarnoputri issued a decree
\ndividing the resource-rich region into the provinces of Papua,
\nCentral Papua and West Papua.<\/p>\n
Jakarta hopes to provide more accessible public services to
\nthe 2.4 million Papuans who live in an area about three times the
\nsize of Java.<\/p>\n
But the move also meant a sharp revenue cut for the previously
\nsingle provincial capital, Jayapura, and its surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
A number of civil rights and student groups have since staged
\nrallies against the division. "It's better not to divide the
\nprovince; it will only divide the people of Papua," said
\nNicodemus. -- Antara<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-protests-over-papua-split-1447893297",
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