Govt moves closer to split Papua despite controversy

Govt moves closer to split Papua despite controversy

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

The central government moved closer to creating a West Irian Jaya
province in Papua on Monday, despite lingering controversies over
the plan to split the troubled region into three -- Papua, West
Irian Jaya and Central Irian Jaya.

Ministry of Home Affairs secretary-general Siti Nurbaya
visited Papua on Monday to hand over a fund of Rp 2.7 billion to
acting West Irian Jaya governor Abraham O Atururi.

The fund, generated from Nurbaya's office, will be used to
renovate the governor's office building on Jl. Siliwangi,
Manokwari district that will probably serve as the West Irian
Jaya capital city.

After being renovated, the gubernatorial office is expected to
begin administrative activities aimed at providing services to
Papuans under its jurisdiction.

Present at a ceremony to hand over the fund included Papua
administration secretary Decky Asmuruf who chairs the assistance
team for West Irian Jaya's establishment, Manokwari Regent D.
Mandacan and local chief councillor D. Mandowen.

Nurbaya was representing Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno
as chairman of the central government's team to speed up the
establishment of West and Central Irian Jaya provinces.

The separation of Papua into three provinces is justified
under Law No. 45/1999 that recommends the creation of two new
provinces of West and Central Irian Jaya.

But, the planned split has drawn controversy among Papuans and
analysts, since the government granted a special autonomy status
in early 2001 to the resource-rich province.

Under the autonomy law, the establishment of new provinces in
Papua must be endorsed by a Papuan People's Council (MRP) that
has not yet been set up for unexplained reasons.

However, in her speech to Monday's ceremony, Nurbaya brushed
aside the controversies and claimed that Papua's split was in
accordance with existing regulations.

"There is nothing wrong with the establishment of a West Irian
Jaya province because the central government did not scrap a
decree on the appointment of Abraham O Atururi as acting
governor, nor did it revoke Law No. 45/1999," she said.

Nurbaya said Atururi had been tasked with preparing
administration staff until the West Irian Jaya province was set
up.