Papua ruling met with mixed reactions

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.