President cancels plan to open Papua Congress<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Presidential aides confirmed here on Saturday
\nthat President Abdurrahman Wahid has canceled plans to open
\nMonday's Papua Congress in Jayapura, over fears that his presence
\nwould be interpreted as tacit support for the province's
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
Acting State Secretary Bondan Gunawan said the president's
\ndecision was based on the advice of Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri who feared the political fallout if the president
\nattended the congress.<\/p>\n
But, according to Bondan, the president did order provincial
\nofficials to attend the congress.<\/p>\n
\"If the president attends the event, it can be interpreted as
\ntacit support for the Papuans' separatist ambitions,\" Bondan said
\nafter a meeting with Abdurrahman and a group of visiting Irian
\nleaders at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
The 20-member group was led by Bernardus Mawen, a self-
\npromoted general in supreme command of the so called West Papua
\nLiberation Army.<\/p>\n
As an expression of his sympathy for participants of the
\ncongress, the president donated Rp 1 billion, or one third of the
\ntotal money needed to finance the meeting, Bondan noted.<\/p>\n
\"The donation has already been misrepresented as the
\npresident's symbolic support for the struggle to become an
\nindependent state,\" Bondan said.<\/p>\n
Bondan, who is also secretary of government supervision said,
\nthe president's plan was discussed by the Cabinet on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The vice president, who has just completed a five-day tour of
\nIrian Jaya, recommended Abdurrahman avoid the congress.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman had previously told Bernardus that he was ready to
\nopen the congress, which is scheduled to be attended by about
\n5,000 participants from across the province.<\/p>\n
During Saturday's meeting, Abdurrahman also assured Bernardus
\nthat the government would not interfere with the congress if the
\nmeeting was focussed solely on voicing their aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"However, if they truly commit themselves to concrete
\nseparatist actions, the government will take stern measures
\nagainst the struggle,\" Bondan remarked.<\/p>\n
According to Bondan, Bernardus pledged that his organization
\nwould refrain for now from committing any significant actions.<\/p>\n
Separately, Bernardus said he bluntly told the president his
\nrequest to Indonesia was very simple, and hoped that Indonesia
\nwould also give simple answer.<\/p>\n
\"We just want to regain our independence,\" Bernardus said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile thousands of Irianese people have arrived in
\nJayapura for the congress. They have come from the regencies of
\nFakfak, Sorong, Monokwari, Nabire, Paniai, Puncak Jaya and Yapen
\nWaropen and Merauke.<\/p>\n
The separatist Morning Star flag dominated the city. And about
\n1,000 West Papuan Task Force members patrolled the city,
\nespecially Cendrawasih Sport Hall, the congress venue, as part of
\nits mission to safeguard the congress,<\/p>\n
News of Abdurrahman's cancellation did not reach the city
\nuntil late Saturday afternoon where people were still
\nanticipating the president's arrival.<\/p>\n
Agus Alua, the congress' organizing committee chairman, was
\nstill hopeful that both Abdurrahman and People's Consultative
\nAssembly Speaker Amien Rais would be able to accept the
\ninvitation to attend the congress.<\/p>\n
On another subject, palace officials revealed that Abdurrahman
\nwas going on Saturday evening for a night's stay in the Thousand
\nIslands, just north of Jakarta Bay.<\/p>\n
No one would reveal the purpose of the stay which is being
\ndescribed as a private weekend tour for the first family.<\/p>\n
The President spent Saturday night aboard the Naval warship
\nKRI Arun. They are scheduled to return to Jakarta Sunday
\nafternoon.<\/p>\n
\"It is a private visit, we don't precisely know his schedule
\nthere,\" a Palace official said when asked about the visit.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is not known as someone who particularly enjoys
\nthe great outdoors or spending weekends fishing like former
\nPresident Soeharto, who often went angling in the Thousand
\nIslands.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is better known to prefer a good joke or
\nconversation for his relaxation. (eba\/prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/president-cancels-plan-to-open-papua-congress-1447893297",
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