Irian Jaya in the eyes of a prointegration figure

Irian Jaya in the eyes of a prointegration figure

JAKARTA (JP): Irianese who are proindependence have pointed
out that alleged human rights violations and unfair revenue
sharing from mining activities have resulted in the demand for
independence.

In an interview in Jakarta with The Jakarta Post's reporter
Neles Tebay, Elias Paprindey, 64, a leader of prointegration
Irianese shares his views and offers a way out for the
government.

Paprindey and his compatriots fought against the Dutch
colonial government in West New Guinea (now Irian Jaya) in the
1950s. He led an underground movement, fighting to keep West New
Guinea in the embrace of the fledgling Republic. He was jailed by
the Dutch in 1960 in the notorious Digul prison in Merauke
regency and was released in 1962, seven years before the 1969
plebiscite which formally included Irian Jaya as part of
Indonesia.

Paprindey then worked at the ministry of communications and
was also elected a member of the provincial legislative council
from 1971 to 1973 before chairing the council from 1973 to 1977.
In 1977, he became deputy governor of Irian Jaya, a post he held
for five years.

In 1993, he retired from the ministry of communications.

Question: How do you view the demand for independence?

Answer: The demand is an undeniable fact. But do not blame the
Irianese. On the contrary, the central government should reflect
on why the Irianese raised the demand for independence.

You mean much of the blame should be placed on the government?

Yes. It is the central government, through its policies, that
has encouraged the Irianese to call for independence. (The
demand) did not start with the Irianese, because we decided to
join Indonesia in 1969. But the government has been neglecting
Irianese rights for more than 30 years. I was fighting for Irian
Jaya's integration into Indonesia in the past for a better life
for the people. But the reality for more than 30 years has been
different: Irianese have suffered within the Republic.

Do you agree with the Irianese voice for freedom?

I always speak of the necessity of freedom for the Irianese,
but within the frame of the unitary republic.

Give us the rights and full authority to govern and manage our
land and its natural resources. We want to be the lords of our
land. And do not keep exploiting at will our natural resources
such as gold, oil and the forests without permission from the
Irianese, the holder of ancestral rights.

The government should realize that our suffering has been
caused by the economic and political exploitation by the powerful
in Jakarta.

So what is the purpose of your visit to the capital?

As Indonesian citizens, we want to communicate the cause of
the Irian case and its solution. As an Indonesian, I have rights
to fight on what should have been our rights.

My entourage and I have met with President Abdurrahman Wahid,
Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, National Resilience
Institute Governor Johny Lumintang, Minister of Home Affairs
Surjadi Soedirdja, (a representative) of the Office of the State
Ministry of Regional Autonomy and with Minister of Defense Juwono
Sudarsono.

What would you suggest to overcome the demand of independence?

I have proposed that the central government facilitate a
special meeting between the proindependence Papuans (local name
for Irianese) and the prointegration Irianese.

The government should be the facilitator ... those
representing the executives, the legislature and the judiciary
should attend, so they could realize the main causes and
problems, and along with the Papuans find ways to settle the
problem.

The central government should not leave the Irianese struggle
alone, or else a conflict would occur between the proindependence
and prointegration groups, while the cause of those demands are
the attitudes and policies of the central government. I
personally do not expect conflicts in the future.

What policies of the central government should be revoked?

First of all, the work contract with PT Freeport Indonesia
should be revoked and improved. Because the existing contract
excludes locals' rights. And locals, who own the ancestral lands,
should be involved in working out the new contracts.

Second, the rich and politically powerful people in Jakarta
should return the forest areas and other natural resources to the
indigenous people.

The central government should stop issuing new forest
concessions in Irian Jaya. It is the local government and the
local people who have to decide if a private business could be
given a concession.

In the last few years, the presence and exploitation of the
forest concessions have not made any positive impact on improving
locals' welfare and the local government has no authority to
control their activities because they gained permits from the
central government.

Based on experience, I have demanded that the central
government should allow us to manage and control our natural
resources. The central government should, therefore, quickly work
out the draft of law and operational regulations to implement
special autonomy.

Some people say the lack of human resources in Irian Jaya
would make it difficult to implement special autonomy.

It is again the central government which has led to the lack
of human resources. The government has gained so much of our
natural resources, but what it has done for Irianese in terms of
human resource development? Nothing.

That's why I have demanded that the government give
scholarships to Irianese youths to take masters and doctorate
programs, either in Indonesia or abroad. I said that 100 Irianese
youths should be sent each year to take those programs.

There are many Irianese who have become heroes in integrating
Irian Jaya into Indonesia, including yourself. Do you think that
the government has paid enough attention to people like you?

The government has never given serious attention to Irianese
who fought for integration. They feel neglected and
disrespected ... That's why I've also come to Jakarta, to discuss
their fate with the government.

I told the President and Vice President that the central
government should pay attention to the life of the 1945 Trikora
fighters and those involved in the 1969 (UN sponsored)
plebiscite.

There were 5,000 integration fighters. If their contributions
are indeed respected, they should be recognized as heroes by the
government in a law. Their proper rights should be given,
beginning from 2000.

If not, this means our contribution is not respected. Then I
would tell the government that we do not need to be invited to
talks on how to preserve Irian Jaya within the Republic.

President Abdurrahman Wahid has changed the name of Irian Jaya
to Papua. Do you agree with that?

The President made the change verbally. So I don't believe
Irian Jaya has been really changed. Irianese are also confused
now about the terms.

So I've demanded that the central government should
immediately formalize the name change in a law. If not, it would
mean the President was just playing tricks on us.

Even before the 1969 plebiscite, you strived to raise the
Indonesian red and white flag. Now the government has permitted
Papuans to hoist the West Papua Morning Star flag in Irian Jaya.

In Indonesia's history, we only know one national flag ... Two
flags in one nation has never happened. I heard that this
permission was also given verbally. We are a state of law so the
permission should also be made into a law.

The law should clarify the reason for the permission to hoist
the Morning Star along with the Red and White, and for how long.
The government should also explain what the meaning of the
permission is.

Does it mean the government wants to set up a federal state in
Irian Jaya, or one nation with two systems as applied in Hong
Kong? Or does it mean that the government is unable to develop
Irian Jaya, thus letting it become independent?

Without written clarification, the Irianese would be confused
because it is the government which banned the raising of the
Morning Star in the past.

Would you like to comment on anything else?

Yes. There is one important thing. Tell the members of the
People's Consultative Assembly and the House of Representatives
not to amend the 1945 Constitution and Pancasila. Or else I'm
ready to separate from Indonesia. What else would we have as the
state's foundation if it is altered?