No violence as Papuans attend May 1 prayer<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, IRIAN JAYA (JP): Thousands turned out to attend a
\nmass prayer commemorating "political rights violations in Papua"
\nhere on Monday.<\/p>\n
Before the prayer, thousands of indigenous Papuans, led by
\nlocal leader Theys Eluay, marched through Jayapura seven times in
\nremembrance of what they called the political rights violations
\ncommitted by the governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
It was on May 1, 1963, that the Netherlands handed over Irian
\nJaya to the Indonesia government under the auspices of the United
\nNations.<\/p>\n
No violence was reported during the rally, which was tightly
\nguarded by police and the Papua Task Force. Rumors had been
\ncirculated that during the May 1 commemoration, Papuan leaders
\nwould take over the administration of the country's easternmost
\nprovince from the government.<\/p>\n
There were also rumors that nonindigenous people and migrants
\nwould be forcefully expelled from the province.<\/p>\n
Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Ingkiriwang said these
\nrumors had caused unrest among the people in Irian Jaya.
\nAccording to Ingkiriwang, Irian Jaya is the target of "invisible
\nhands" who want to create violence in the province.<\/p>\n
And Theys Eluay said the rumors were spread by those who
\nwanted to create unrest. "We Papuans want to separate from
\nIndonesia peacefully."<\/p>\n
Separately, dozens of Irian Jaya natives who reside in
\nGreater Jakarta staged demonstrations on Monday at the Hotel
\nIndonesia traffic circle and in front of the United Nations
\nbuilding in Central Jakarta, to demand sovereignty over the
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
They said Irian Jaya was victimized by an international plot
\nbetween Indonesia, the United States and its allies when the
\nprovince was handed over to Indonesia in 1963.<\/p>\n
"Thousands of Papuans have been killed, raped and prosecuted
\nover the last 37 years, while we have never been given the chance
\nto determine our own future," said one demonstrator.<\/p>\n
The demonstrators also accused the government of being
\ndiscriminative by investigating human rights violations in Aceh,
\nLampung, Jakarta and Banyuangi, while taking no action to stop
\nongoing abuses in Irian Jaya.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Papuan figures and a political expert called on the
\ngovernment to stop human rights violations in Irian Jaya and give
\nthe province special autonomy to help ease tensions.<\/p>\n
Morin, a Golkar Party legislator from Biak, said the
\ngovernment should withdraw soldiers from rural and remote areas
\nof the province and enforce the law to create a feeling of safety
\namong locals.<\/p>\n
"Most locals do not feel free to go about their daily
\nactivities because of the presence of soldiers in their
\nvillages," he said during a panel discussion here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Two activists from Jayapura, Willem Saloki and Jimmy, said
\nthey had lost confidence in the government and the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) because of their
\nfailure to seek a comprehensive solution to the Papuan issue.<\/p>\n
Ikrar Nusa, a political expert from the Indonesian Institute
\nof Sciences, warned the government against the increasing demand
\nfor independence in Irian Jaya, saying separatist activities
\ninvolved not only the Free Papua Movement but also university
\nstudents. (eba\/sur\/rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-violence-as-papuans-attend-may-1-prayer-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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