Papua students rally against autonomy package<\/p>\n
or<\/p>\n
Papua students rally against autonomy<\/p>\n
R.K. Nugroho
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJayapura<\/p>\n
Just four days before President Megawati Soekarnoputri is due
\nto sign over the much-awaited Autonomy Law to Papuan elders in
\nthe Irian Jaya provincial capital of Jayapura, students in the
\ncountry's easternmost province are already intensifying their
\nprotests against the proposal.<\/p>\n
More than 500 students from Jayapura-based, state-run
\nUniversity of Cendrawasih staged a rally in front of the Irian
\nJaya Legislative Council (DPRD) building on Tuesday, demanding an
\nindependence referendum in lieu of a special autonomy status for
\nthe province.<\/p>\n
The students threatened to continue protesting at the heavily-
\nguarded DPRD building until the government agrees to accommodate
\ntheir wishes.<\/p>\n
Last week, hundreds of University of Cendrawasih students
\nforcibly occupied the offices of Irian Jaya Governor Jaap
\nSalossa. They urged the governor to reject the special autonomy
\noffer, while calling for a thorough investigation into the
\nsuspected murder of independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay and
\nother human rights abuses in the province.<\/p>\n
Jaap told last week's protesters that the special autonomy law
\nhad been drafted by important Papua figures, including academics
\nand religious leaders, as a means of improving the welfare of the
\nlocal population.<\/p>\n
Megawati is scheduled to visit the tense province on Saturday
\nto formally grant the Autonomy Law to Papuan elders, marking the
\nbeginning of the implementation of special autonomy status for
\nthe region on the far eastern end of the archipelago.<\/p>\n
Under the Autonomy Law, which was endorsed by members of the
\nHouse of Representatives (DPR) in October to appease Papuans
\nseeking independence, the province's name will be changed from
\nIrian Jaya to Papua, something that has been long-demanded by
\npro-independence leaders.<\/p>\n
It will also be allowed to fly its own flag and have its own
\nanthem.<\/p>\n
Beyond that, the province will be able to keep up to 80
\npercent of earnings from natural resources, while receiving
\nsubsidies of Rp 6 trillion (US$600 million) annually from the
\ncentral government.<\/p>\n
The student protesters, however, argue that the proposed
\nautonomy does not recognize the aspirations of all Papuans in
\nIrian Jaya who would like the province to secede from Indonesia
\naltogether.<\/p>\n
They are also demanding that the legislative council address
\nthese desires by facilitating a referendum in which the province
\nmay determine whether its people want to stay with Jakarta, or
\nbreak away.<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya DPRD Deputy Speaker Ben Vincen Djeharu told the
\nprotesters that the council has already delivered similar
\naspirations to the central government, but has received no
\nresponse so far.<\/p>\n
In a related development, religious leaders in Irian Jaya
\nagain questioned the slow pace of the investigation into the
\nmysterious death of Theys.<\/p>\n
\"The investigation into the case is dragging on, prompting
\nmixed public reactions against the performance of law
\nenforcement,\" they said in a statement issued to The Jakarta Post
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"Our people's trust in the state and law enforcement
\nauthorities to reveal the truth has reached its lowest level,\"
\nthe statement read. The probe \"does not satisfy the sense of
\njustice for the public.\"<\/p>\n
The statement was signed by prominent Christian and Muslim
\nleaders, including Secretary of Indonesian Papuan Christian
\nChurch Rev. Corinus Berotabui; Jayapura Archbishop Mgr. Leo Labai
\nLadiar; chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) of Irian
\nJaya's chapter, Zubeir Hussein and Dudung of the Muslim
\norganization Nahdlatul Ulama of the local branch.<\/p>\n
Theys, who headed the pro-independence Papua Council
\nPresidium, was abducted on Nov. 10 by an unidentified group of
\npeople as he drove home from a military Heroes' Day celebration
\nhosted by the local unit of Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in
\nJayapura.<\/p>\n
His body, bearing signs of asphyxiation, was found in his car
\nat the bottom of a ravine the following day. Theys' driver, who
\nescaped long enough to report his abduction, also disappeared.<\/p>\n
The Muslim and Christian leaders urged President Megawati to
\nendorse an independent commission to probe the suspected murder.<\/p>\n
\"We ask the President to immediately handle Theys' case
\ncarefully, honestly and fairly,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
The government is currently considering a proposal by the
\nNational Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) for a \"National
\nIndependent Team\" to investigate Theys' death. Under the
\nproposal, officials from the government, the military and the
\npolice would be part of the team.<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya fell under Indonesian control in 1963 after the
\nterritory's Dutch colonial administration, which had named it
\nDutch West New Guinea, abandoned it in 1961.<\/p>\n
The United Nations recognized Indonesia's sovereignty over
\nIrian Jaya in 1969 following a UN-held plebiscite which pro-
\nindependence groups say was flawed.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/papua-students-rally-against-autonomy-package-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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