Govt accused of lacking sincerity in Papua issue

Govt accused of lacking sincerity in Papua issue

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

The central government is accused of a lack of resolve in
enforcing the special autonomy law for the troubled province of
Papua, which was implemented two years ago to appease separatist
groups.

The autonomy law recommends the establishment of a Papuan
People's Council (MRP) as a key element in enforcing the law, but
the situation remains unclear as government regulations to
establish the council have not been issued.

Speaker of the Papua Legislative Council, John Ibo, said that
although wide-ranging autonomy was granted in 2001, the central
government had not made a regulation concerning the establishment
of MRP.

"The central government is still suspicious of Papuans. They
have sincerely accepted the special autonomy as a solution to
existing problems in the province.

"But their sincerity was not immediately responded to through
the approval of the MRP," he told journalists in the Papua
capital of Jayapura on Wednesday.

He made the comment as Coordinating Minister for Political and
Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ended his two-day visit
to Papua on Thursday.

The issue of the MRP was also raised during a dialog between
Susilo and Papuan religious and community leaders.

Ibo dismissed the government's suspicions as groundless and
said the planned council was aimed at promoting and protecting
the "basic rights" of Papuans, which he said was a key component
of Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy.

"The MRP's existence would only strengthen the rights of
Papuans, that have been neglected under the current governmental
system. It would not serve as a bridge to achieve the
independence that has been campaigned for by a group of people
here," he argued.

Similar to the war-torn Aceh province, the resource-rich Papua
has long seen separatist movements fighting for breakaway from
Indonesia.

Ibo said that, should the government seek to change articles
on the establishment of the MRP, this should be discussed with
the council.

"The government should not abandon the matter, this would only
create suspicion among Papuans that the central government is not
serious in granting them the special autonomy," he added.

The chief councillor said the autonomy law could not be
implemented adequately in the province because the MRP was not
established.

In response to the criticism, Minister Susilo said that the
MRP would certainly be formed and that the Ministry of Home
Affairs was discussing its status to prevent an overlapping
between the council's ruling and that of the legislative or
executive bodies.

"The MRP government ruling continues to be discussed so that
its structure will not cause a problem. It should not remove the
function of legislative or executive bodies," Susilo added.

He promised to raise the MRP issue during a Cabinet meeting
after he arrived back in Jakarta.