Surjadi lets Freddy hold governor post

Surjadi lets Freddy hold governor post

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Home affairs minister Surjadi
Soedirdja has allowed State Minister of Administrative Reforms
Freddy Numberi to hold his post as governor for at least two
months.

Freddy said in his first visit home since becoming a Cabinet
member that the government would pick a caretaker to prepare a
gubernatorial election in cooperation with the provincial
legislative body in January next year.

But Freddy, a rear admiral, has had his territory reduced due
to the government's decision to split the western half of Irian
Jaya into three provinces to ensure a more equitable development
in the huge but less populated territory.

The decision has met with protests from locals who insist the
province's partition should come from the bottom, and not be
dictated from the top. They demanded that the government put the
decision on hold, pending a consultation with them.

Freddy will rule East Irian Jaya. The government appointed
Herman Monim as the governor of Central Irian Jaya and Abraham O.
Ataruri as the governor of West Irian Jaya on Tuesday.

In regard to autonomy, Freddy, the first Irianese native to
hold a ministerial post since people in the territory voted for
integration into Indonesia in the United Nations-sponsored
referendum in the late 1960s, said people in the three Irian
provinces were not ready for the status.

He said the Law on Regional Autonomy needed to be familiarized
for at least one year in the territory.

"I have told the central government to accommodate the local
people's aspirations before implementing the new law," Freddy
said.

The law will come into effect in 2001.

Freddy suggested that all regents in Irian Jaya take part in
the familiarization program of an autonomy status.

"I think one year is enough to make people understand the
concept of regional autonomy," he said.

Meanwhile, a provincial legislature member, Yance Kayame of
the Golkar faction, said all elements of society must be included
in intensive discussion on regional autonomy.

"Informal leaders, tribal chiefs, religious leaders and
students must be given chances to present their ideas of
development in the province," Yance said, adding that such a way
would avoid a possible rejection of the autonomy plan. (eba/edt)