Irian Jaya figures decry distrust of Papua bill

Irian Jaya figures decry distrust of Papua bill

JAKARTA (JP): Irian Jaya leaders renounced on Wednesday the
unenthusiastic response by legislators and government officials
to a draft bill on special autonomy for the province, arguing
that the bill was drawn up within the context of the unitary
state.

Anton Ririhena, representing Irian Jaya Governor J.P. Solossa,
said his delegation was very disappointed with the suspicion,
which he claimed was reflected in the tepid response to the draft
bill.

"The cool response is a reflection of both the House of
Representatives and the government's suspicious of the bill," he
said here on Wednesday.

House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said on
Wednesday the House could not adopt the bill proposed by the
Irian Jaya provincial administration because it contained at
least 15 points deemed to be contrary to the principle of the
unitary state.

These controversial points include the province having its own
flag, symbol, anthem, police force answerable to the governor,
House of Representatives and People's Consultative Assembly.

Anton complained that his 10-member delegation has been in
Jakarta for two months, but as yet no official from the Ministry
of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy had made themselves
available to discuss the draft bill.

He further lamented that certain legislators, particularly
from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), had outrightly rejected the draft bill.

He urged that both the draft bill submitted by the Irian Jaya
administration and the one submitted by the Ministry of Home
Affairs and Regional Autonomy be considered during deliberations
of the final autonomy bill.

Anton pointed out that the draft bill submitted by the
provincial administration had been drawn up in full consultation
with numerous political and economic experts, both in Jakarta and
Irian Jaya.

Agus Sumule, another member of the team, said it was important
for legislators to consider all proposals, especially since the
bill was designed to placate growing separatist sentiment in the
province.

"The House and the government can drop our bill, but they must
bear in mind that the Papuan people can resort to their own
solution, namely independence, if they do so," he warned.

Agus, an expert on rural sociology, said his team was ready to
discuss the draft bill and to include any changes that might be
necessary to uphold the principle of the unitary state.

"Both the House and the government are allowed to drop certain
crucial points in the bill provided it is done so based on
rational reasons, scientific analysis and the Papuan people's
aspirations," he said.

Another team member, G.M. Satya, underlined the importance of
weighing the bill proposed by the province, saying it contained
seven basic points the people of the province had demanded.

"The bill stipulates Papuan indigenous people's basic rights
-- democracy, morality, ethics, human rights, supremacy of law,
pluralism and equality," he said.(rms)