W. Irian Jaya expected to delay election<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The first ever direct gubernatorial election in West Irian Jaya,
\nscheduled for Nov. 28, would almost certainly be postponed until
\nthe stalled establishment process for the new province was
\ncompleted.<\/p>\n
This was the consequence of an agreement in Jakarta on
\nThursday between Vice President Jusuf Kalla and relevant Papuan
\nauthorities that West Irian Jaya's controversial creation be
\nreferred back to Law No. 21\/2001 on Papua's special autonomy and
\nto the government regulation concerning the formation of the
\nPapuan People's Assembly (MRP).<\/p>\n
Kalla said the gubernatorial election could be held only after
\nthe formal correction of the new province's legal formation was
\ncompleted.<\/p>\n
\"The settlement of the Papua issue must be based on the
\nspecial autonomy law and the government regulation on the MRP,\"
\nhe said after the meeting with Papuan figures at his office here,
\nduring which the agreement was reached.<\/p>\n
Under the law and the government regulation, the division of
\nPapua into one or more provinces must obtain the approval of the
\nPapua legislature, governor and MRP.<\/p>\n
However, the West Irian Jaya province was officially created
\nlast year by the central government before the MRP was
\nestablished. The assembly was inaugurated earlier this month.<\/p>\n
The Thursday meeting with Kalla was the first since the new
\nprovince was initiated in 2003, which met with strong opposition
\nfrom within Papua.<\/p>\n
Attending the meeting were Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical, Security and Legal Affairs Widodo A.S., Minister of
\nHome Affairs M. Ma'ruf, Papua governor Jaap Solossa, local
\nlegislative council speaker John Ibo and MRP chairman Agus Aluwe.<\/p>\n
Agus Aluwe said the correction was needed because the
\nformation of the new province was not based on a strong legal
\nfoundation.<\/p>\n
However, he could not say whether the MRP would approve the
\nnew province's formation as the issue remained controversial
\namong Papuan people.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the Constitutional Court annulled the
\nestablishment of Central Irian Jaya province but ruled that the
\ncreation of West Irian Jaya province could proceed. The
\nestablishment of the two new provinces was based on Law No.
\n45\/1999.<\/p>\n
Kalla said that in accordance with the law, the provincial
\nlegislature and MRP would hold separate meetings to give their
\napprovals to the formation of the West Irian Jaya province.<\/p>\n
\"After that, the government will enact a regulation in lieu of
\nlaw to give a legal basis for the new province's establishment,\"
\nthe Vice President added.<\/p>\n
He said the Papua partition issue was expected to be settled
\nby the end of 2005.<\/p>\n
Kalla and the Papua leaders also agreed that despite being
\npartitioned into two provinces, they would remain closely linked
\nin terms of culture, social aggregation and economy.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/w-irian-jaya-expected-to-delay-election-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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