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)