Papua ruling met with mixed reactions<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura<\/p>\n
The ruling of the Constitutional Court annulling the law on the
\ndivision of Papua province but recognizing the existence of West
\nIrian Jaya province was met with mixed reactions on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Protestant Minister Herman Saud, head of Papua's Indonesian
\nChristian Church (GKI), said the ruling was based on political
\nconsiderations rather than legal arguments.<\/p>\n
\"The ruling was made to save the central government's honor as
\nit has already set up West Irian Jaya province. It's no secret
\nthat the government always intervenes in the legal process,\" he
\ntold The Jakarta Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Herman argued that if Law No. 45\/1999 was considered
\nunconstitutional, the establishment of West and Central Irian
\nJaya provinces as well as Paniai, Puncak Jaya and Mimika
\nregencies and Sorong municipality must also be declared
\nunconstitutional.<\/p>\n
He said the Constitutional Court must remerge West Irian Jaya
\nwith Papua province and any move to split up the province must be
\nbased on Law No. 21\/2001 on special autonomy for Papua.<\/p>\n
Under the special autonomy law, any plan to partition the
\nprovince should secure approval from the Papuan People's Council
\n(MRP), which has yet to be established and whose members will
\nconsist of Papua tribal leaders and religious leaders, among
\nothers.<\/p>\n
Herman said the Constitutional Court's ruling only reinforced
\nmost Papuans' opinion that justice for them was only a dream as
\nthe law remains in the hands of the politically powerful.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Arfak Manokwari Youth Group chairman Lazarus Indow
\nwelcomed the ruling, saying it was the desire of the people of
\nWest Irian Jaya to set up a separate province and they would
\ncelebrate the court decision.<\/p>\n
\"If the court ruled otherwise, we would have waged war against
\nanyone opposing the existence of West Irian Jaya province,\" said
\nLazarus.<\/p>\n
Separately, IJB Damianus Itjie, the interim deputy chairman of
\nthe West Irian Jaya Legislative Council (DPRD I), welcomed the
\nruling, saying the verdict was in line with people's wishes.<\/p>\n
\"With or without the ruling, we'll go on,\" he said after
\nattending the hearing at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Jhon Ibo, chairman of the Papua Legislature Council, and Papua
\nGovernor Jaap Solossa also accepted the verdict.<\/p>\n
\"We filed the case due to the mandate we received from our
\npeople. I'm sure they can accept it,\" Jhon said.<\/p>\n
Solossa added that all Papuans agreed to the division of
\nPapua. However, they also expected the central government to
\nlisten to their aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"We'll deliver the decision to the central government soon,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/papua-ruling-met-with-mixed-reactions-1447893297",
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