Papuan Council rejects Special Autonomy Law

RK Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

The proindependence Papuan Council Presidium (PDP) asserted on Saturday in Jayapura that it would reject the Special Autonomy Law on Irian Jaya which will come into effect on Tuesday.

Secretary-general Thaha Al Hamid said PDP wanted more than the law because it was not the best or comprehensive way to settle the prolonged Irian Jaya issue.

"It is the central government that had the idea of the Special Autonomy Law, not the people of Papua. Special autonomy was granted after the demand for independence had grown stronger," Thaha said.

The rejection of special autonomy was part of the political declaration made by PDP following a three-day plenary session, which ended on Friday, he added.

PDP chairman Thyes Hiu Eluay said that the Special Autonomy Law was similar to the 1969 government-engineered referendum.

"The solution is a dialog between the government and the people of Papua in which PDP is involved," Thyes said.

"As long as there are no talks between the government and the people, the issue will remain unresolved," he said.

To show its rejection of the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law for Irian Jaya, PDP is sending Martinus Warimon from its student panel, and Deki Mlino from its Timika panel to Jakarta.

"They will join the Irian Jaya community in Jakarta who will all reject the Special Autonomy Law," said Thaha.

Thyes, Thaha, Don A Flassy, the chairman of the Independent Youth Organization, Rev. Herman Awom and John Mambor, a PDP member, are being tried for allegedly inciting the Irianese to fight for the province's independence.

The trial will continue in Irian Jaya on Monday with former president Abdurrahman Wahid scheduled to take the witness stand on behalf of PDP.

Abdurrahman is to testify in connection with the Rp 1 billion in aid given to the Papuan People's Congress in Jayapura on Dec. 1 of last year.

PDP has also demanded that the Dutch and U.S. governments and the United Nations be held responsible for their past stance on Irian Jaya and to review its political status of the province.

PDP has also asked the Papua Liberation Front to stop its actions and the National Police and Indonesian Military to discontinue their activity.

The declaration, signed by Thyes, Herman and Thaha, also calls on people to unite and fight against any kind of provocation or propaganda.

The Irian Jaya administration is sending some 1,000 people to Jakarta in support of the special regional autonomy.