Papua students demand funds<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: As Papua is in urgent need of funds to carry out its
\ndevelopment programs, the central government should speed up the
\ndisbursement of Rp 1.58 trillion of Papuan autonomy funds for
\n2003, a student leader said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\"The immediate disbursement of the funds will show that the
\n(central) government is seriously concerned about the wellbeing
\nof Papuans,\" Yusack Andatu, chairman of Cenderawasih University's
\nStudent Executive Body, said after meeting Vice President Hamzah
\nHaz at the Vice Presidential residence.<\/p>\n
Yusack warned that Papuans might reject the government-
\ninitiated special autonomy status if it failed to disburse the
\nfunds in the near future.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Hamzah said during the meeting that he would order
\nthe Ministry of Home Affairs to release the funds immediately.<\/p>\n
Last year, the government disbursed Rp 1.38 trillion of
\nspecial autonomy funds for Papua.<\/p>\n
The special autonomy status for Papua was extended by the
\ncentral government in 2001 in the wake of rising separatist
\nsentiment in the country's easternmost province.-- Antara<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/papua-students-demand-funds-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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