Students protest new KPUD establishment

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

Hundreds of students and local Papuans staged a protest on Friday in Jayapura, to reject a plan by the General Elections Commission (KPU) to establish a provincial KPU (KPUD) in the soon to be established province of West Irian Jaya.

The protesters said the plan must be aborted, on the grounds it would divide Papuans and at the same time violate Law No. 12/1990 on General Elections.

About 500 protesters descended on the Papua Provincial Council building in Jayapura at 10 a.m, where they unfurled banners and posters rejecting the plan.

The protest leaders held speeches before the crowd of protesters, saying the plan was a ploy by Jakarta to divide Papuans.

"The elite in Jakarta have ignored local Papuans aspirations," Cenderawasih University's Student Senate chairman Denny A. Wafumilena said.

He said the plan would worsen clashes among Papuans over the recent government decision to split Papua province into three provinces -- Papua, Central Irian Jaya and West Irian Jaya.

The split has already taken its toll, including frequent clashes between those for and against the split.

At least five people have been killed and dozens injured in battles in relation to the formation of the Central Irian Jaya province.

The central government postponed the split indefinitely in response.

However, despite the government's move to lessen tension, the KPU is still proceeding with its plan to establish the KPU in West Irian Jaya on Oct. 28, Denny said.

Denny said the plan violated the Law on General Elections, which provided for a sole KPUD for Papua province.

Denny said the students would abstain from the 2004 elections if the central KPU stuck with its plan to establish the KPUD.

Meanwhile, Center for Electoral Reform (CETRO) executive director Smita Notosusanto said the planned establishment of the KPUD symbolized the arbitrariness of the central KPU, which imposed its own will without consulting with the local Papua community.

The KPU reserved House seats for West Irian Jaya in anticipation of the government's decision to formalize the new province in the near future. Papua will have 10 House seats up for grabs, while West Irian Jaya will have three.