Papuan Assembly would quell separatism: SNUP
Papuan Assembly would quell separatism: SNUP
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A solidarity group for Papua demanded on Tuesday that the central
government call off its plan to divide the province and keep its
promise by immediately establishing the Papuan People's Assembly
(MRP).
The National Solidarity for Papua (SNUP) said the speedy
establishment of the MRP would dissuade the indigenous people
from fighting for an independent Papua.
SNUP chairman Tigor Naipospos told reporters that the special
autonomy granted to Papua under Law No. 21/2001 -- which includes
the MRP among its prerequisites -- was more than enough to
appease the indigenous people, who had long harbored resentment
over Jakarta's history of human rights abuse and economic
exploitation in the province.
"What matters most for indigenous people in Papua is respect
of their cultural identity, rather than natural resources, and
the MRP is the representation of this," said Tigor, who also
chaired the Solidarity for Free East Timor (Solidamor).
The central government enacted Law No. 21/2001 to give the
country's easternmost province greater autonomy in managing its
resources, in response to demands for an independent Papua.
However, the government has been reluctant to transfer its
authority to local administrations.
The Papuan legislature submitted a draft ruling on the
establishment of the MRP to the central government almost a year
ago, but the document remains unsigned for unknown reasons.
The MRP cannot be set up without approval from the Minister of
Home Affairs.
Instead, Jakarta issued Presidential Decree No. 1/2003 on the
establishment of Central Irian Jaya and West Irian Jaya
provinces. The decree was a follow-up to Law No. 45/1999 on the
same issue.
Activists in the province accused President Megawati
Soekarnoputri of deceiving the Papuans, as the Special Autonomy
Law for Papua stipulated that any move to divide the province
should first be approved by the MRP.
A representative of the Papuan people, Phil E. Lari, said
splitting up Papua into three provinces would only marginalize
the indigenous people further.
"Indigenous Papuans are not yet ready to compete with non-
Papuans, who will flood into the newly established provinces," he
said.
A new province must have a minimum population of between 3.5
and 4 million people. Currently, Papua is home to around 2.4
million people, inclusive of both Papuans and non-Papuans, so the
new provinces will have only about 700,000 people each at the
time of their establishment.
The SNUP also called on the government to set up a special
team to probe the gross violations of human rights that had taken
place ever since Indonesia's forced acquisition of the province
through a military operation.
"Over the last 40 years, the death toll from human rights
abuses has reached 100,000," Tigor said.
He did not explain how he came up with the figure.
Tigor also demanded the government to withdraw all Indonesian
Military forces from the province, because "special autonomy
without demilitarization would yield nothing but cycle of
violence".
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A solidarity group for Papua demanded on Tuesday that the central
government call off its plan to divide the province and keep its
promise by immediately establishing the Papuan People's Assembly
(MRP).
The National Solidarity for Papua (SNUP) said the speedy
establishment of the MRP would dissuade the indigenous people
from fighting for an independent Papua.
SNUP chairman Tigor Naipospos told reporters that the special
autonomy granted to Papua under Law No. 21/2001 -- which includes
the MRP among its prerequisites -- was more than enough to
appease the indigenous people, who had long harbored resentment
over Jakarta's history of human rights abuse and economic
exploitation in the province.
"What matters most for indigenous people in Papua is respect
of their cultural identity, rather than natural resources, and
the MRP is the representation of this," said Tigor, who also
chaired the Solidarity for Free East Timor (Solidamor).
The central government enacted Law No. 21/2001 to give the
country's easternmost province greater autonomy in managing its
resources, in response to demands for an independent Papua.
However, the government has been reluctant to transfer its
authority to local administrations.
The Papuan legislature submitted a draft ruling on the
establishment of the MRP to the central government almost a year
ago, but the document remains unsigned for unknown reasons.
The MRP cannot be set up without approval from the Minister of
Home Affairs.
Instead, Jakarta issued Presidential Decree No. 1/2003 on the
establishment of Central Irian Jaya and West Irian Jaya
provinces. The decree was a follow-up to Law No. 45/1999 on the
same issue.
Activists in the province accused President Megawati
Soekarnoputri of deceiving the Papuans, as the Special Autonomy
Law for Papua stipulated that any move to divide the province
should first be approved by the MRP.
A representative of the Papuan people, Phil E. Lari, said
splitting up Papua into three provinces would only marginalize
the indigenous people further.
"Indigenous Papuans are not yet ready to compete with non-
Papuans, who will flood into the newly established provinces," he
said.
A new province must have a minimum population of between 3.5
and 4 million people. Currently, Papua is home to around 2.4
million people, inclusive of both Papuans and non-Papuans, so the
new provinces will have only about 700,000 people each at the
time of their establishment.
The SNUP also called on the government to set up a special
team to probe the gross violations of human rights that had taken
place ever since Indonesia's forced acquisition of the province
through a military operation.
"Over the last 40 years, the death toll from human rights
abuses has reached 100,000," Tigor said.
He did not explain how he came up with the figure.
Tigor also demanded the government to withdraw all Indonesian
Military forces from the province, because "special autonomy
without demilitarization would yield nothing but cycle of
violence".