President changes Irian Jaya's name to Papua

President changes Irian Jaya's name to Papua

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid not
only rang in the new millennium here but also declared that
Indonesia's easternmost province would now be called Papua.

"I officially announce that the name Irian becomes Papua," he
said here on Friday.

He claimed that his decision to change the name was not due to
pressure, despite calls from several community leaders, but
because the term "Irian" in Arabic had a negative connotation and
meant naked.

"With the change, Irian Jaya province becomes Papua province,"
he said, after which he immediately began to refer to it as
Papua.

In his address to tribal and community leaders here he also
apologized for past human rights abuses throughout the country.

However, he asserted that the government would not condone
attempts to set up a new country within the existing Indonesia.

In the meeting with local administration officials and 400
religious leaders and representatives of Irianese tribespeople,
Abdurrahman said he, however, appreciated freedom of expression.

"I guarantee freedom of expression. So I accept the Irianese
demand for independence as a freedom of expression. But I won't
tolerate any efforts to establish a country within the country,"
he said.

He reiterated that as a president his duty was to maintain
Indonesia's integrity as stipulated by the 1945 Constitution.

Demands for independence voiced by some Irianese should be
conveyed to the People's Consultative Assembly. "It is the
Assembly that has the right to decide on that."

Abdurrahman, who was in the province to watch the first dawn
of the new millennium in Indonesia, also took time on Saturday to
sign the Third Millennium postal stamp.

In Friday's dialog, the President pointed out that some people
wanted independence and others wanted to remain within the
republic. "So which one of you represent the (Papua) people?" he
asked.

He stressed that the integrity of the nation must be
maintained. He also warned foreign countries not to support any
movements that could lead to Indonesia's disintegration.

"The government of Indonesia will not hesitate to confront any
country which is behind the Free Papua Movement (OPM) or other
separatist groups in other regions."

Many more discussions are needed to deal with the complicated
problems, he said. "The government is even ready to talk with the
OPM, despite the fact that its members have many times committed
unlawful acts."

A Timika tribal leader, Tom Beanal, thanked the President for
the release of political prisoners, several of whom were Papuans.
"This is a Christmas gift from the President."

He reported that Papuans had suffered much under Indonesian
rule.

"We have been victims of injustice, such as intimidation,
torture, rape, killings and discrimination," Tom said.

"The root of all of this is the distortion of history of West
Papua in terms of political status. The (government's)
development policies have also neglected the (Papuan) people's
interests." (eba)