MRP members election opposed
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
A prominent Papua opposition figure on Thursday rejected elections for the Papuan People's Council (MRP), as the head of the council's election committee flew to Jakarta to hand over the names of MRP members to be installed on the council to the central government.
Tom Beanal, the chairman of the Papuan Customary Council (DAP), said the election was unfair as the government had interfered in the process.
Tom revealed that government officials through the Nationhood Unity Office had chosen pro-government leaders to represent their constituencies without a fair election. The government also never provided an opportunity for people to elect their own representatives, he said. He said the appointment of the MRP member for Timika had never been approved by the public.
"There was no election, and suddenly an MRP member representing the area has been chosen," said Tom.
The election of MRP members was similar to the so-called "Act of Free Choice" in 1969, which led to the incorporation of Papua into the Indonesian republic. The 1969 ballot was unfair as the government had arranged the outcomes to ensure that Papua was incorporated into Indonesia, said Tom.
Meanwhile, the chief of the MRP election committee, Tony Rahail, went to Jakarta from Jayapura on Thursday in order to proceed with the hand-over of the list of MRP member's names to the central government. The central government will inaugurate MRP members on Oct. 29.
Back in Jayapura, Papua Governor JP Salossa on Thursday appointed 13 officials to manage the MRP secretariat in Jayapura. The officials, who would serve MRP members, would start carrying out daily duties on Monday, or two days after the MRP members were installed.
The establishment of the council is a consequence of Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua province.
According to the law, the council has the authority to approve candidates for governor and for members of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), as well as giving recommendations and approval for any cooperation between the Papua administration and other parties. The council must also facilitate the aspirations of Papuans and help guarantee the protection of their human rights, in addition to finding solutions for disputes on rights issues.
The MRP consists of 42 members with 14 representing traditional communities, 14 representing women and 14 others representing religious communities. While representatives of traditional and women's communities are elected through popular ballot, religious representatives are chosen by religious institutions across Papua. The MRP members represent 14 constituencies in the province with each constituency determined based on cultural similarity.