Jakarta, Papua leaders to talk again about W. Irian Jaya
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
Top security officials met with prominent Papuan leaders on Monday in Jayapura to discuss a controversial gubernatorial election scheduled to take place in West Irian Jaya province later this month.
Emerging from the meeting, chief security minister Widodo A.S. said no agreement was reached on the election, so the central government would host a meeting in Jakarta on Thursday to try and finalize the details of the poll scheduled for Nov. 28. That meeting will be attended by key central government officials and informal leaders and government officials from Papua.
The Jakarta meeting will discuss whether the election will proceed as planned or will be delayed, said Widodo.
The controversy over the planned poll in West Irian Jaya concerns the separation of the province from the rest of Papua, which critics claim is a violation of Papua's regional autonomy.
Papua provincial council speaker John Ibo insists the establishment of West Irian Jaya province is a violation of the Law on Special Autonomy for Papua.
"There will be no election in West Irian Jaya until we sit down together with Jakarta officials on Thursday," said John, as quoted by Antara news agency.
West Irian Jaya was partitioned off from Papua province despite opposition by the Papua government and people's representatives, who say the central government betrayed the will of Papuans by splitting the province.
The meeting in Jakarta will also discuss the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), which was established on Oct. 31. One of the first actions of the MRP was to bar a candidate from contesting the Papua gubernatorial election slated for next year, on the grounds that he was not a native Papuan. However, that decision has proved controversial.
Protesters opposed to the decision went on a rampage last Saturday, leaving dozens of people injured. The protesters insisted the deputy governor candidate, Musa, was a native Papuan who have lived in the province for generations.
With the MRP under fire, the central government plans to discuss the future role of the assembly in order to promote stability in Indonesia's easternmost province.
The meeting on Monday in Jayapura was attended by top security officials, including Widodo, Papua Governor JP Salossa, the chief of the Trikora military command overseeing Papua, Maj. Gen. George Toisutta, and Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Dody Sumantyawan.
All of the members of the Papua provincial council and the MRP also attended the meeting. The MRP has 42 members, consisting of 14 traditional leaders, 14 religious leaders and 14 women's leaders.
The establishment of the council was mandated in the Law on Special Autonomy for Papua. According to the law, the council has the power to approve gubernatorial candidates and candidates for the People's Consultative Assembly. It can also offer its opinions on any form of cooperation between the Papuan administration and other parties.