People of W. Sulawesi celebrate new province
People of W. Sulawesi celebrate new province
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar
West Sulawesi people celebrated on Thursday the establishment of
West Sulawesi province, optimistic it would bring them prosperity
and stability.
Ali Baal, the regent of Polewali Mamasa -- a regency in the
new province -- said residents, overjoyed by the
House of Representatives' declaration of the new province on
Wednesday, had taken to the streets. Celebrations were also held
in four other West Sulawesi regencies: Mamasa, Majene, Mamuju and
North Mamuju.
Ali said the West Sulawesi people, called the Mandar people,
had tried to separate from South Sulawesi for 50 years. But,
their efforts had intensified in 1997, when a group of Mandar
people established a forum called the Committee for the Struggle
to Establish West Sulawesi Province.
Through the forum, the Mandar community conducted surveys and
campaigned for the establishment of the province.
Ali, who also manages communications between five regents in
West Sulawesi, said there were several reasons why the Mandar
people wanted to separate from South Sulawesi.
He said, when independence was declared in 1945, West Sulawesi
became part of South Sulawesi province. But, as time went by, the
Mandar people became disheartened by the "neglect" of their area.
The five regencies are rich in natural resources, which, if
managed well, could improve the welfare of the over one million
people living in West Sulawesi.
Among the natural resources of West Sulawesi are cacao, coffee
and coal.
Also, Ali said, the separation would shorten the chain of
bureaucracy, with people no longer having to travel to the South
Sulawesi capital of Makassar for administrative affairs.
He said a province should be divided into 15 to 17 regencies
or municipalities, while South Sulawesi province had 23 prior to
the separation of West Sulawesi.
Separately, South Sulawesi deputy governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo
said he welcomed the House's decision: "We will lose a certain
amount of revenue, but, for the sake of the West Sulawesi people,
we have agreed."