MRP elects speaker
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
The former rector of the Jaya Timur School of Theology and Philosophy, Agustinus Alua, was elected on Tuesday as the speaker of the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), a newly established body viewed as crucial to the bringing of justice to the resource-rich but impoverished province.
Twenty-seven members of the 42-member MRP voted for Agus, who represents the various religious groups in the province.
A former rector of Cendrawasih University, Frans Wospakrik, representing tribal groups, obtained 14 votes and was elected first deputy speaker.
Hana Salomina Hikoyabi, who represents Papuan women, was picked as the second deputy speaker during the first key meeting of MRP members since the assembly was officially inaugurated by Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'aruf late last month.
The first priority of the MRP members, who have a five-year mandate, is to organize the election of the Papua governor as the incumbent, JP Solossa, will officially end his term on Nov. 23.
According to Government Regulation No. 54/2004, the council represents indigenous Papuan culture and wields special powers covering the protection of traditional rights, the empowerment of women and the promotion of religious harmony.
The council has the power to approve gubernatorial candidates when they are native Papuans, provide recommendations, approve any form of cooperation between the Papuan administration and third parties, and give opinions on, and endorse the establishment of, new administrative regions.
The council oversees Papua province only, which has been separated from West Irian Jaya province. The Papuan Special Autonomy Law, which mandated the establishment of the MRP, defines Papua province as it existed prior to the split early last year.
According Wospakrik, one of the authors of the Papua Special Autonomy Law, the ultimate aim of the council was to keep Papua within the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
The country's easternmost province has benefited little from its vast natural resources, while the government has done little to address past human rights violations in the province, particularly rampant during the 32-year rule of former authoritarian president Soeharto.
There has been a disorganized secessionist movement operating in Papua for almost four decades.
Elsewhere, the members of the MRP on Tuesday also approved the council's standing orders, which, among other things, govern the rights and obligations of MRP members.
The MRP has three committees focused on religious, cultural and women's affairs respectively. Each committee has the right to appoint three external advisers for a period of one year extendible.