JP/5/irja

JP/5/irja

Students, other Papuans reject C. Irian Jaya province

Nethy Dharma Somba
The Jakarta Post
Timika, Papua

Hundreds of students occupied the Mimika legislative council
building in Papua on Friday to express their opposition to a
controversial central government decision to divide the province.

The Communication Forum for Pegunungan Tengah Students
(FKMPT), local residents and members of the Amungme tribe vowed
to continue the occupation until Saturday, to pressure the
government to reverse its plan, which they said would cause
further suffering among Papuans and could even lead to ethnic
war.

"We, students and people in Pegunungan Tengah, are ready to
boycott the 2004 general elections in Papua, particularly in this
district, if our demands are not heeded," FKMPT said a statement.

It said splitting the province into Papua, West Irian Jaya and
Central Irian Jaya, based on Law No. 45/1999 and Presidential
Instruction No. 1/2003, violated autonomy granted to Papua two
years ago.

Copies of the statement were sent to President Megawati
Soekarnoputri, People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amien Rais
and other national leaders.

The demonstrators said the plan ignored the concerns and
rights of Papuans who were opposed to it.

"We also firmly reject the leadership of Megawati and (Vice
President) Hamzah Haz and urge the central government and the
House to form a new government concerned with the poor," the
statement added.

Indonesia integrated resource-rich Papua into its territory 40
years ago, but most indigenous Papuans are still dirt poor,
despite special autonomy, which aimed to give Papuans more power
and a greater slice of profits from the province's resources.

The special autonomy law legislates that the government must
establish a Papuan People's Assembly, but it has not eventuated.

Papua Governor Jaap Salossa and the speaker of the Papua
legislative council, John Ibo, have expressed their opposition to
the establishment of the new provinces.

Ibo said their establishment would violate Article 76 of the
special autonomy law, which stipulates that any such move must be
approved by the MRP, the establishment of which continues to be
delayed by the central government.

National Solidarity for Papua (SNUP) say that establishing the
assembly would quell separatism desires among Papuans, who have
long harbored resentment over Jakarta's history of human rights
abuse and exploitation of the province.

Protest leader Thomas Wanmang said the creation of the new
provinces was confusing.

"I don't see that people's welfare will improve after the
split of Papua. I think indigenous people will suffer further
because of their lack of education," Thomas said.

This would spark ethnic conflicts in Papua due to the widening
disparity between the impoverished indigenous people and the more
developed migrants, he added.

Mimika legislative council speaker Andreas Anggaibak, who also
chairs the Central Irian Jaya establishment committee, said on
Friday that the declaration plan would go ahead on Saturday as
scheduled, despite mounting opposition.

"We will continue to realize the plan tomorrow (Saturday). No
one can delay or cancel it. Such a protest is normal."

The declaration will be marked by the unveiling of a sign
bearing the name of the new province in front of the Graha TSD
building on Jl. Cendrawasih No. 28 in Timika, the capital of
Mimika.

The building will be a temporary home to Central Irian Jaya
administration.

The new province was declared by local officials on Feb. 6,
2003.

Andreas said Saturday's declaration ceremony would be attended
by the regents of Mimika, Biak Numfor, Yapen, Waropen, Nabire,
Puncak Jaya and Paniai.

Leaders of the legislative councils from the eight regencies
that make up the new province of Central Irian Jaya would also be
present, he said.

Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Paulus Waterpauw said at
least four companies of personnel were being deployed to guard
the declaration ceremony.