Papua ruling met with mixed reactions

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

The ruling of the Constitutional Court annulling the law on the division of Papua province but recognizing the existence of West Irian Jaya province was met with mixed reactions on Thursday.

Protestant Minister Herman Saud, head of Papua's Indonesian Christian Church (GKI), said the ruling was based on political considerations rather than legal arguments.

"The ruling was made to save the central government's honor as it has already set up West Irian Jaya province. It's no secret that the government always intervenes in the legal process," he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Herman argued that if Law No. 45/1999 was considered unconstitutional, the establishment of West and Central Irian Jaya provinces as well as Paniai, Puncak Jaya and Mimika regencies and Sorong municipality must also be declared unconstitutional.

He said the Constitutional Court must remerge West Irian Jaya with Papua province and any move to split up the province must be based on Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua.

Under the special autonomy law, any plan to partition the province should secure approval from the Papuan People's Council (MRP), which has yet to be established and whose members will consist of Papua tribal leaders and religious leaders, among others.

Herman said the Constitutional Court's ruling only reinforced most Papuans' opinion that justice for them was only a dream as the law remains in the hands of the politically powerful.

Meanwhile, Arfak Manokwari Youth Group chairman Lazarus Indow welcomed the ruling, saying it was the desire of the people of West Irian Jaya to set up a separate province and they would celebrate the court decision.

"If the court ruled otherwise, we would have waged war against anyone opposing the existence of West Irian Jaya province," said Lazarus.

Separately, IJB Damianus Itjie, the interim deputy chairman of the West Irian Jaya Legislative Council (DPRD I), welcomed the ruling, saying the verdict was in line with people's wishes.

"With or without the ruling, we'll go on," he said after attending the hearing at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta.

Jhon Ibo, chairman of the Papua Legislature Council, and Papua Governor Jaap Solossa also accepted the verdict.

"We filed the case due to the mandate we received from our people. I'm sure they can accept it," Jhon said.

Solossa added that all Papuans agreed to the division of Papua. However, they also expected the central government to listen to their aspirations.

"We'll deliver the decision to the central government soon," he said.