Security worries force cgange to Papuan protest

Security worries force cgange to Papuan protest

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Papua

Due to security concerns, the Papuan Tribal Council has decided
to move forward a planned mass protest on Aug. 15 that would
condemn the government's failure to execute a special autonomy
scheme for Papua.

The protest, which would highlight 'the return of the Special
Autonomy Law to the central government,' is set to be held on
Aug. 15, but since situation is expected to be tense ahead of
Indonesian Independence Day celebrations on Aug. 17, therefore
the protest would be moved forward to Aug. 12, said Leonard
Imbiri, the secretary to the Papuan Tribal Council.

Imbiri called on the government and security apparatus to
respond proportionately as the protest would comply with the law.
The protest was not aimed at seeking separation from Indonesia,
but was purely aimed at protesting the failure of the government
to carrying out a special autonomy scheme for Papuans. "The
protest will be peaceful," said Imbiri, quoted by Antara news
agency on Wednesday.

Separately in Jakarta, dozens of Papuans held a protest on
Wednesday in front of the State Palace, demanding the government
investigate irregularities allegedly committed by Papuan Governor
J.P. Salossa in the period since the special autonomy scheme had
been carried out in the easternmost province in 2001.

The provincial government had been allocated funds totaling Rp
1.7 trillion (US$174 million) to carry out development in Papua
since the special autonomy scheme took place in Papua in 2001,
but the local government had built nothing, said Alof S.T.
Rumayoni, director of the Bangun Nusa Irian Foundation.

Abdul Warwey, another foundation member, further claimed that
he had strong evidence concerning the irregularities allegedly
committed by the Papua Governor and his apparatus, and this
evidence would be presented to the Corruption Eradication
Commission (KPK) for further follow up. "The evidence includes
bank accounts of some Papua officials. The accounts are
suspicious because the amounts of money in these accounts was
staggering," said Abdul to the Antara news agency.

Earlier, the same group of protesters staged a protest in
front of the U.S. Embassy building in Central Jakarta. The
protesters condemned a bill proposed recently by certain U.S.
Congress members that questioned the validity of the process
leading to the 1969 Act of Free Choice in Papua, when selected
Papuan leaders voted unanimously to join the Indonesian republic.

The protest was held a day after President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono met over 20 Papuan leaders at the State Palace to
discuss the latest developments in Papua.

Separately, Papuan religious leaders expressed hope that the
planned protest on Aug. 12, or Friday, would run peacefully.

Reading out statement from Papuan religious leaders, Budi
Hernawam, a Catholic priest, said that there had been various
rumors circulating in Jayapura that if the protest was not
managed well, it could lead into chaos.

"There is a rumor that Papuans are demanding separation from
Indonesia, and another rumor saying that the UN will grant
independence to Papua. People are confused and scared of possible
chaos. We hope the protest will be held peacefully," said Budi.

The statement was signed by leading religious leaders,
including chief of the Indonesian Council of Ulema's Papua
chapter, Zubeir D. Hussein, Papua Cardinal Leo Laba Ladjar,
Injili Protestant Church chairman Herman Saud and the chairman of
Parisada Hindu Dharma's Papua chapter I Nyoman Sudha.