Irianese congress rejects 1969 plebiscite
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): The first Papuan Congress ended on Saturday with a unanimous rejection of the 1969 plebiscite that incorporated the former Dutch territory into Indonesia.
In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Saturday, the 500 congress participants said the popular consultation lacked legitimacy because the Indonesian government held it without involving eligible voters.
The poll was conducted based on the 1962 New York Agreement between the UN, Indonesia and the Netherlands.
"Only 0.8 percent of the 80,000 eligible voters took part in the so-called popular consultation," the congress' declaration signed by local leaders Theys H. Eluay and Tom Beanal said.
The poll, locally known as Pepera, the acronym for Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat (People's Self-determination Vote) was sanctioned after the transfer of power over the western part of the island from the Netherlands to Indonesia through the UN in May 1963.
The congress participants called the transfer of power invalid since it was decided without consulting local people.
Independence demands have been on the rise over the past two years in the province, the home to one of the world's largest gold and cooper mining industries, in response to past human rights violations and the unfair divisions of revenues earned from exploiting its natural resources.
"That is why we decide to separate from Indonesia and form a Papua nation," the statement said.
Numerous demonstrations demanding independence have taken across the province, including one on Dec. 1 where the Morning Star rebel flag was hoisted. Several people, including Theys, were questioned following the incident.
President Abdurrahman Wahid has rejected the independence demands, offering wide-ranging autonomy instead.
The latest rally to reject the autonomy offer on Feb. 16 ended in violence leaving a man shot dead and several people including police officers injured.
Independence movements have also been seen in the country's other resource-rich provinces of Aceh and Riau.
Irianese people are prepared to hold dialogs and other peaceful and democratic ways in the search for a settlement, the statement added.
Congress participants also expressed their gratitude to President Abdurrahman Wahid for his decision to change the name of Irian Jaya to Papua on New Year's Eve.
"By changing the name, the President has recognized the cultural identity we have been struggling for," it said.
Tom Beanal said the statement would be sent to the UN and the governments of Indonesia, the Netherlands and the United States because of their alleged refusal to acknowledge the political rights of Papuans.
The congress participants decided to set up a Papuan presidium council, which was tasked with preparations for a bigger congress slated for April.
The presidium comprises tribal, women, youth and student leaders as well as local scholars and foreign delegations.
The four-day congress, which was held in Sentani Hotel, ran peacefully under the watchful eyes of about 1,000 local security personnel. (eba/jun)