Mamberamo wants new regency

Mamberamo wants new regency

JAYAPURA, Papua: Hundreds of residents from Mamberamo in the Papuan capital of Jayapura staged a rally at the city's legislative council on Friday to demand that their area be made a separate regency.

"We will dispatch a team to Jakarta to convey our aspirations directly to President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno if these demands are not heeded by late June," said Wempy Bilassy, who led the peaceful protest.

He said that the people living in the areas along the Mamberamo river wanted to split from the regencies of Waropen and Sarmi.

Wempy, leader of the Mamberamo community traditional council, said the population and human resources available in the area were sufficient to have it declared a new regency. --Antara