Govt orders split of Papua into 3 provinces
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua
Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno has asked Papua Governor Jaap Solossa to enforce a controversial law enacted in 1999 that orders the province of Papua be split in three.
The government says the law will allow effective public administration of the country's easternmost island. Opponents say the move is to divide and conquer separatist elements and to better control the provinces huge natural wealth.
Papua administration secretary Decky Asmuruf, speaking to The Jakarta Post in the provincial capital of Jayapura on Monday, confirmed the minister instructed the governor to form the West and Central Irian Jaya provinces -- both of which will contain the vast majority of the oil, gas and ore reserves.
"The instruction was given since the Manokwari regent has reported that the public administration in West Irian Jaya has been effective in certain affairs since Feb. 7, 2003. That is why the minister has asked the governor to take concrete action to form the two new provinces." he said.
The government has appointed Herman Monim as acting governor in Central Irian Jaya and Abraham Oktavianus Atururi as acting governor in West Irian Jaya.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri's issuing of an instruction early this year to proceed with the 1999 legislation has been condemned by religious leaders and a number of Papuan people who say the large province is not ready to be divided.
Splitting the province in three will likely cause suffering in the remaining Papua province as it has been left with no natural resources of its own to support its development programs under special autonomy.
West Irian Jaya has huge reserves of liquefied natural gas, which are still being explored under a contract with British Petroleum Ltd. Central Irian Jaya is a home to several oil wells, and copper and gold mines, including U.S.-based copper and gold mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika.
Most people in the central and western parts of the province appear to support the formation of the provinces, which they believe will accelerate development and improve government services.
Both the Indonesian Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have thrown their weight behind the law and presidential instruction, saying it will make it easier to quell the Papua Independence Organization (OPM).
Decky said the home minister had also delivered a letter asking the provincial legislative council help the provincial administration create effective public administrations in the two new provinces.
The provincial legislative council has suggested there was a need for the governor to enforce the presidential instruction because it was a guideline, not an instruction.
"The provincial legislature has met with the House of Representatives, asking the latter to amend the law so it need not be enforced immediately," provincial legislature Commission A on defense, public administration and security affairs chairman Yance Kayame said Monday.
The central government and the provincial administration are divided over the formation of the provinces because, according to the provincial legislature, the two new provinces' establishment should first gain the support of the Papuan People's Assembly, which is yet to be established.
The governor, opposed to the split, is still in Jakarta to discuss the matter with the home minister. Deputy governor Constant Karma declined to comment.