Installment of governor opposed

Installment of governor opposed

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

Opposition is mounting to the decision by the central government
to install Brig. Gen. Abraham Octovianus Atururi as the acting
governor of the newly established West Irian Jaya province.

By installing Abraham as the acting governor, President
Megawati and Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno had violated
an important principle of law, a democracy activist said on
Saturday.

"If there are two contradictory laws on the same issue, the
latter law is the one that has to be upheld. The central
government has violated this principle, and, therefore, the
installation has to be annulled," Budy Setyanto, the executive
director of the Institute for Civil Strengthening (ICS) told The
Jakarta Post.

Abraham was installed following a previous decree establishing
the province that was issued by the central government in January
this year.

The installation marks the official separation of West Irian
Jaya from Papua.

Contacted by the Post on Saturday, Budy explained that the
split was governed by Law No. 45 of 1999 on the division of Papua
into three smaller provinces -- West Irian Jaya, Central Irian
Jaya and Papua provinces.

The partition was also provided for later by Law No. 21 of
2001 on special autonomy for Papua. But, the new law contained an
additional clause, stipulating that the partition of the province
should first be approved by the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP),
which the law requires to be set up but has yet to be
established.

"If the central government respected the rule of law, it would
follow the most recent legislation and not install a new governor
in the province.

The decision had to be based on the 2001 Law on Special
Autonomy for Papua, and not based on the previous 1999 law," said
Budy in Jayapura.

Budy said that having installed Abraham as a new governor, the
central government had also ignored the aspirations of Papuans.
This would only damage the interests of the central government as
it would further fuel tension in Papua, he said.

The controversy on the partition of Papua has been going on
for a few years, and it has resulted in sporadic clashes between
those who support and those who are opposed to the split.

The most recent clash occurred in the Central Irian Jaya town
of Timika after the announcement by the central government on
Aug. 23 this year that it would push ahead with the partition of
Papua into three provinces.

The clash between supporters and opponents of the split left
four people dead. The fatal clashes prompted the government to
delay the establishment of the new provinces indefinitely.

Meanwhile, despite the controversial installation of Abraham,
the situation in Papua was largely calm on Saturday.

But, many Papuans were apparently perplexed by the decision.

"I don't understand this move by the central government.
Papuans are opposed to the split, but they insist on going ahead
with it," said Penina, a Jayapura resident.

Abraham was installed as governor through Presidential Decree
No. 213/M of Nov. 11, 2003.