Govt urged to issue regulation on Papuan People's Assembly

Govt urged to issue regulation on Papuan People's Assembly

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

The Coalition of Peace-Loving Papuan Women has called on the
central government to approve the draft regulation on the Papuan
People's Assembly (MRP), which, when formed, will play an
important role in the province under its special autonomy status.

Poppy, a member of the women's organization, said Papuans were
angered by the central government's delay in issuing a government
regulation on the MRP because the delay was affecting the
implementation of special autonomy.

"Everything is uncertain because the central government has
delayed approval of the draft regulation on the MRP, instead
issuing a presidential instruction on the formation of two new
provinces," she said during a meeting with several members of the
provincial legislative council here on Friday.

She said numerous bylaws prepared by the provincial
administration to implement special autonomy could not be
endorsed because the MRP was still not in place.

According to Law No. 21/2001 on Papua's special autonomy, the
MRP is to approve the candidates for governor, deputy governor
and the provincial candidates for the People's Consultative
Assembly in Jakarta. It also is meant to approve all bylaws
proposed by the provincial legislature and administration, as
well as ensuring the protection of the rights of indigenous
Papuans.

Poppy said her group opposed Presidential Instruction No.
1/2003 on the formation of two new provinces in Papua, saying the
decision had caused friction between the people.

"It would be better for the central government to annul the
presidential instruction and delay dividing the province in
three, and instead approve the draft regulation (on the MRP) in
order to end the confusion among the people.

"Let the people and not the central government decide what is
best for Papuans," she said.

Regina Muabuay, coordinator for the Forum for the Empowerment
of Papuan Women, agreed, saying it would be better for the
government to form new regencies in the province in order to
improve the services to the people. She said that with improved
services, the people of Papua might be ready to accept the
division of the province in several years.

"Papua is not ready to be developed into three provinces
because it lacks quality human resources," she said.