Govt shelves plan to split Papua into three provinces

Govt shelves plan to split Papua into three provinces

Nethy Darma Somba and Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post,
Jakarta/Jayapura

The government has for the time being shelved plans to create
three new provinces from the country's easternmost province of
Papua after Papua Governor J.P. Salossa strongly argued against
the move.

Meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Friday, the
governor contended that infrastructure and human resources in the
province were not yet ready for the establishment of new
provinces.

"It takes five to ten years of preparations for the new
provinces and we have to consider people's readiness for such
actions," Salossa said after the meeting.

Former president B.J. Habibie enacted a law splitting the
province into three in 1999 to speed up development in the
territory.

The law, however, was strongly opposed by Papuans who
suspected the move as an attempt by the central government to
weaken their struggle for independence, prompting the Habibie
administration to delay its implementation.

But until Habibie was replaced by Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid
in 1999, the law had not been implemented.

Since Megawati assumed the presidential post in July 2001,
demands for the establishment of new provinces in Papua
resurfaced and the government has given a strong signal that it
would soon implement the law by Habibie.

Salossa said Friday that President Megawati emphasized the
importance of sufficient preparations and that the central
government would not push for the establishment of new provinces
there.

"The President said that such action should be carefully
assessed and it does not have to be conducted immediately," the
governor said.

Sources at the State Palace told The Jakarta Post earlier that
Megawati planned to announce the new provinces when she visited
Papua on Dec. 25.

Earlier, Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno said that as
long as the law was not revoked, it would be implemented as soon
as possible.

Salossa also said Friday that President Megawati would visit
Papua province on Dec. 25.

"The President will attend Christmas celebrations in the
province and inaugurate the opening of Tangguh Liquid Natural Gas
(LNG)," Salossa said.

Deputy Papua Governor Constant Karma said the President would
attend Christmas celebrations at Cendrawasih sports complex on
Dec. 25 to be attended by thousands of Papuan Christians.

The President, who will be accompanied by husband Taufik
Kiemas, is slated to receive the highest customary merit of
Papuan traditional tribes, Constant Karma maintained.

On the next day, Megawati will be flying to Biak regency to
officially mark the beginning of Tangguh LNG projects
reconstruction.

Deputy Governor Karma said that the visit would be very
meaningful for Papuan people as it could help heal last year's
disappointment when Megawati suddenly canceled her planned visit
there.

Megawati's predecessor Abdurrahman Wahid also celebrated
Christmas in Papua in 2000 and in 1999 and spent New Year's Eve
at the Jayawijaya mountain top.

"It is good if the President will celebrate Christmas with us,
hopefully it would not be like last year when the visit was
canceled," a housewife Mama Salomina told the Post Friday.

Papua, where a separatist movement has been struggling for
independence since the 1960s, was granted special autonomy status
on Jan. 1, 2002 in a bid to appease the rebels there.