Papuans call for start of special autonomy
Papuans call for start of special autonomy
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Papuans have called on president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
to enforce the Special Autonomy Law for Papua to resolve the
prolonged issues in the province.
A meeting of Papuan activists and leaders last Wednesday and
Thursday urged Susilo to support the Papuan people by
implementing fully Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua
and reconsider the division of Papua into several provinces,
according to the organizer.
Rev. Karel Phil Erari, spokesman of the National Forum for
Human Rights Concerns in Papua (FNKHP), which organized the
meeting, said in a press conference here on Sunday that
government officials, religious and informal leaders and women
activists attended the event.
"We have entrusted Susilo to fully enforce the law to help
resolve the issue. Otherwise, the friction between Jakarta and
Papua will only get worse," he said.
The FNKHP itself is chaired by Susilo.
Susilo won majority votes in Papua during both rounds of the
presidential election.
Karel said this showed that Papuans had come to distrust
Megawati over her policy on Papua, especially the establishment
of Central Papua and West Papua provinces.
President Megawati issued Presidential Instruction No. 1/2003
to implement Law No. 45/1999 on the division of Papua into three
provinces, effectively undermining the Special Autonomy Law for
that province.
Megawati also refused to establish the Papuan People's
Assembly (MRP) as mandated by the law as the highest law-making
body in the province, fearing that the body could lead to the
secession of the province from Indonesia.
The Papuan Legislative Council has requested the
Constitutional Court to annul the presidential instruction.
"The contentious presidential instruction and the
establishment of a new province (West Papua) are actually a
betrayal of the Special Autonomy Law, which stipulates that the
formation of new provinces requires approval from the MRP," said
Karel.
To date, the MRP has not been established.
Agus Sumule, who accompanied Karel to the press briefing, said
Susilo should live up the Papuans' expectations by revoking the
instruction.
"Susilo still has a good chance to settle the issue and to
fully enforce the Special Autonomy Law to win the hearts of the
Papuan people," he said.
He said the majority of Papuans had not yet seen the benefits
of special autonomy, in particular financially, as most of the
special autonomy fund from Jakarta went into local government
officials' pockets.
"The majority of Papuans have yet to enjoy free education,
health and transportation services that the government has
promised. Worse still, Papua is facing an HIV/AIDS crisis," he
said. --Related story on Page 5