Papuans demand referendum rerun

JAYAPURA, Papua: Some 100 people protested in Jayapura on Monday, demanding president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono re- hold Papua's 1963 referendum.

Grouped under "the Papua Civilian Coalition for Human Rights" and the "Papua Student's Alliance", the protesters said that the last referendum in 1963 -- which resulted into the incorporation of Papua into Indonesia -- was not democratic and should be repeated.

Filep Karma, a protester, said that repeating the referendum would be the best choice for the Indonesian government to end the prolonged conflict in Papua, rather than the "half-hearted" regional autonomy drive in the province. -- JP