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.