Irian Jaya's name change receives warm welcome
Irian Jaya's name change receives warm welcome
JAKARTA (JP): What's in a name? Quite a lot, according to a
youth group from Irian Jaya, or what is now being termed Papua.
A group of Irianese students who claim to represent the West
Papuan Community and All-Indonesia Papuan Students Alliance
hailed President Abdurrahman Wahid's decision at the start of the
new year to grant demands for a change in the name of the
province of Irian Jaya to Papua.
"It is a very wise and accountable decision from scientific,
historic and legal points of views," group leader Dimianus
Wanimbo said.
Dimianus contended that the term Papua was the old name for
the territory, dating back to 1511 when Portuguese sailors called
it Isla de Papoia.
However, they differed with Abdurrahman on the meaning of
Irian.
Dimianis contends that IRIAN was originally an acronym for a
pro-Indonesia youth organization established at the end of 1945.
The acronym stands for Ikut Republik Indonesia Anti Nederland
(Joining the Republic of Indonesia Anti-Netherlands).
During his visit to the province Abdurrahman said he had
decided to change the name because Irian is an Arabic word
meaning naked.
While the President has declared the name change, the House of
Representatives has yet to officially approve it.
During a gathering earlier this week, the youth group called
on the central government to respond to the feverish calls for
independence.
Dimianus said one of the key points of discussion would be a
government explanation for its 1961 claim over the western part
of Papua island while it was under Dutch administration.
"The government's openness is imperative to solve all problems
that have led West Papuan people to a feeling that they are not
part of Indonesia," he said.
West Papua was integrated with Indonesia in 1963 after a
popular consultation under the supervision of the United Nations.
Since then the government has changed the name of the region to
Irian Jaya.
"The claim over West Papua was driven by the imperialistic
ambitions of Sukarno and Muhammad Yamin as aired during sessions
of the preparatory board of Indonesia's independence (in 1945),"
Dimianis said, adding that other board members, including
Mohammad Hatta and A.A. Maramis, initially opposed the proposal.
Clamors for independence have been mounting in the territory,
especially as growing accusations of human rights abuses grow.
Independence calls peaked with the hoisting of separatist
rebel flags on Dec. 1 to coincide with the 35th anniversary of
the supposed declaration of the independence of West Papua.
The students also blamed the international community for
supporting Indonesia's claim, which stifled the decolonization
process of West Papua.
Meanwhile from Jayapura, Irian Jaya, local legislator Anton
Kelanangame on Friday also added to the voice of concern from
Indonesia's eastern most province.
He pointed out that most people in the province felt the
government were not paying an equal share of attention towards
the concerns of people from Irian Jaya unlike Aceh or Maluku.
He added one of the most urgent needs is to resolve various
human rights abuses which he claimed were perpetrated by security
personnel.
Anton noted that several groups had recommended that the
government seriously investigate and resolve these matters.
"However up to now no legal action has been taken to resolve
the cases," he told The Jakarta Post.
He remarked in the past Irian Jaya Military commanders, the
governor and the province police chief had formed a team to
investigate these cases however nothing has come out of it.
"That's why some Papuans have come to the conclusion that the
rights abuses were purposely committed to eradicate ethnic
Papuans," he charged. (04/eba)