Following clashes, govt told not to divide Papua
Following clashes, govt told not to divide Papua
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Following fatal clashes between opponents and supporters of the
establishment of Central Irian Jaya province, the government has
come under pressure for its decision to partition the country's
easternmost province, Papua.
"The government must take law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy
as a reference because it is the most recent legislation on
Papua," said Agung Pambudi, director of the Regional Autonomy
Watchdog (KPPOD), on Monday.
Violent clashes broke out on Saturday after government
officials in Timika declared the establishment of Central Irian
Jaya province despite strong opposition from local people.
The violence continued into Sunday and Monday, with thousands
from both camps engaging in open street fighting using spears,
arrows and other traditional weapons. At least two people, one
from each side, had been killed as of Monday evening.
The central government decided earlier this year to slice
Papua up into three provinces -- Papua with its capital of
Jayapura, Central Irian Jaya with capital in Timika and West
Irian Jaya with its capital in Manokwari.
The policy is based on Law No. 45, 1999 on the creation of
Central Irian Jaya, West Irian Jaya and North Maluku provinces,
but it contradicts Law No. 21, 2001 on special autonomy for
Papua.
Law 21 should have rendered law 45 void for Papua as the
former grants special autonomy status for the province in its
pre-1999 form, or one large province.
The special autonomy law also stipulates that any move to
split up the province requires prior approval from the Papuan
People's Assembly (MRP), which is supposed to consist of leaders
of tribes and religious groups in the province as well as noted
public figures.
However, the MRP, whose tasks were to include endorsing
regulations issued by local legislatures, was never established
by the central government as required by the law.
Some Papuan leaders have accused the government of sabotaging
the special autonomy law.
Former Irian Jaya Governor Barnabas Suebu called on the
government on Monday to take necessary action to stop the bloody
conflicts resulting from the division of Papua.
August Kaviar, former rector of state-owned Cendrawasih
University (UNCEN), suggested that the central government hold a
dialog with the provincial administration to find the best
solution to the conflict.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono called on Home Affairs Minister Hari
Sabarno and local officials on Monday to take necessary action to
stop the conflict.
"We know that our brothers in Papua still have many different
perceptions about the division.
"So we hope the central government, local government, the
House of Representatives, and local legislators will join hands
in implementing the special autonomy law as well as dividing the
province," he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting on Monday.
A member of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) John
Fachiri said Minister Hari Sabarno must be held responsible for
the deadly clashes, because he had been pushing for the split of
Papua.
The minister, however, denied suggestions that he had pressed
for the declaration of Central Irian Jaya province.
"The government has never pushed for the declaration, because
politically and legally the province already exists," the
minister said.
Local councillor Yance Kayame planned to take the controversy
to the newly established Constitutional Court to get it settled.
Former president B.J. Habibie enacted the law splitting the
province into three in 1999, ostensibly to speed up development
in the territory.
Due to opposition from the people, the government delayed
implementation of that law indefinitely.
In January this year, however, President Megawati
Soekarnoputri issued a presidential instruction, declaring the
implementation of the 1999 law. Controversy emerged following the
President's decision, but the move to split the province trudged
forward despite its unpopularity.