Papuans allowed to hoist morning star flag

Papuans allowed to hoist morning star flag

JAKARTA (JP): The government has softened its stance by making
a symbolic gesture to growing independence demands in Irian Jaya
allowing the separatist Morning Star flag to be hoisted together
with, but smaller than, the national red and white Indonesian
colors.

"As long as the size is not bigger than the national flag, and
it is raised together with our national flag and its height is
not higher than the national flag," Cabinet Secretary Marsilam
Simanjuntak told journalists after a weekly Cabinet meeting at
the Bina Graha presidential office on Wednesday.

Marsilam said it was part of President Abdurrahman Wahid's
moderate and tolerant approach in responding to the independence
declaration by the Papuan People's Congress.

"However if they hoist the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag
and then lower down the national flag, that's treason," he
stressed.

But separately House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
regretted the decision to allow the separatist flag to be
hoisted.

"We regret it. Hoisting the flag (except the Red-and-White
flag) violates the law," Akbar told reporters on Wednesday.

House of Representatives leaders on Wednesday also officially
stated their firm rejection of the results of the Papuan People's
Congress which declared its desire to separate from Indonesia.

A House statement was signed by Akbar, and his four deputy
speakers -- Muhaimin Iskandar, A.M. Fatwa, Tosari Widjaja and
Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno.

"The result (of the congress) is separatism and it violates
the law and it could be categorized as "treason"," Akbar said in
the statement.

Akbar urged the government to take stern but persuasive steps
in maintaining state unity.

Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, political scientist Cornelis Lay said
the government should not rely on foreign support to base its
argument for national integrity.

"The government should focus on concrete steps which directly
touch the West Papuan's consciousness," Cornelis of Gadjah Mada
University said. (44/eba/prb/jun)