C. Irian Jaya to be declared a province

C. Irian Jaya to be declared a province

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

Despite opposition from the Papua administration, local officials
are pressing forward with their plan to declare the Central Irian
Jaya province on Saturday, with the support of the central
government.

The declaration will be marked by the unveiling of a sign
bearing the name of the new province in front of the Graha TSD
building in Timika, the capital of Mimika regency.

The building will temporarily hold the main offices of the
Central Irian Jaya administration.

It will come six months after West Irian Jaya province was
declared by local officials on Feb. 6, 2003.

The speaker of the Mimika legislative council, Andreas
Anggaibak, who also chairs the Central Irian Jaya establishment
committee, said Saturday's declaration ceremony would be attended
by the regents of Mimika, Biak Numfor, Yapen, Waropen, Nabire,
Puncak Jaya and Paniai.

Leaders of the legislative councils from the eight regencies
that will make up the new province of Central Irian Jaya will
also attend, he said.

Andreas said the establishment of Central Irian Jaya was based
on Law No. 45/1999 on the division of Papua into the provinces of
Papua, West Irian Jaya and Central Irian Jaya.

"People have continued to press for the declaration of a
Central Irian Jaya province since Presidential Instruction No.
1/2003 was issued to speed up the implementation of Law No.
45/1999," he said.

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno also issued decree No.
188.51/1717/SJ on July 30, 2003, recommending the immediate
creation of the new province, he added.

The planned declaration is opposed by Papua Governor Jaap
Salossa and the speaker of the Papua legislative council, John
Ibo, who said it would contravene Law No. 21/2001 on special
autonomy for Papua.

Salossa also said it would be a violation of existing
procedures if Central Irian Jaya province was declared, as it was
never discussed with his administration in Jayapura, the capital
of Papua.

"If the people (in Mimika) have such a plan, they should
discuss it with us. They must notify us," he said.

Ibo said the establishment of Central Irian Jaya province
would violate Article 76 of the special autonomy law, which
stipulates that any such move must be approved by the Papua
People's Assembly (MRP), which still does not exist.

The central government has continued to delay the enactment of
a decree on the establishment of the MRP.

"So who approved the expansion plan?" Ibo asked.

However, the secretary of the Papua administration, Decky
Asmuruf, said it would be difficult to prevent the declaration of
the new province as it seemed to have the support of people in
Mimika and neighboring regencies.

Yoseph Yatenea, a Komoro tribal leader who is also a
councillor in Mimika, said local residents backed the formation
of Central Irian Jaya province.

They hope the new province will speed up development in the
region and improve their welfare, he said.

"The sooner the better. If not now, when will the ambition of
locals to set up a separate province be realized?" Yoseph said.

Analysts have criticized the central government's plan to
split Papua into three provinces, a move they say is in the
interest of the authorities not the people.

These critics question why the government never seriously
enforced the special autonomy law in the province, rather than
pushing for its division.

Papua, rich in natural resources, is home to just 2.3 million
people. If split into three provinces, West Irian Jaya would be
expected to be richer than the other two, given its vast natural
resources.