Susilo pledges to implement Papua special autonomy law

Rendi A. Witular, Jakarta

Presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono pledged Wednesday to implement fully the special autonomy law for Papua by speeding up the establishment of the stalled Papuan People's Assembly (MRP).

Susilo said that if it was serious about improving the welfare of Papuans and creating more opportunities for them to manage their own affairs, the next government could not but focus on implementing Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy.

"The problems in Papua can only be solved by the full application of the law ... if I am elected, I will speed up the signing of the government regulation on the MRP," said Susilo during a business luncheon organized by the Mercantile Athletic Club.

Susilo added, however, that the MRP would not replace the functions of the legislative or executive bodies.

Under the autonomy law, the MRP, whose membership should consist of representatives of traditional/tribal leaders, religious communities and women, is assigned various powers and duties, including the approval of candidate governors and deputy governor proposed by provincial legislature (DPRD) members.

Susilo said that the current government had actually finished drafting the regulation on the MRP, the key element in the application of the special autonomy law, but it remained unclear what the situation currently was as the draft had not been signed as yet by President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"The draft regulation is already ready. I just don't understand why the President has not signed it," he said.

Susilo served as Megawati Soekarnoputri's coordinating minister for political and security affairs for almost three years before resigning in March.

The government has been widely accused of dragging its feet in enforcing the special autonomy law.

Susilo, co-founder of the Democratic Party, said that he would revise all laws that contradicted the special autonomy law, including the controversial Law No. 45/1999 on the partition of Papua into three smaller provinces.

"In order to ensure that the special autonomy law works properly, we will need to look at and possibly revise other laws that do not conform with it," he said.

The special autonomy law stipulates that Papua province covers what is now known as Papua, West Irian Jaya and Central Irian Jaya, and that any move to split up the province must receive the prior approval of the MRP.

Various contradictory laws, however, have been enforced by the Megawati government with the full knowledge of Susilo.

Susilo also pledged to bolster his relationship with the media in order to increase the accountability of his administration to the public.

"I respect freedom of the press. I will not appoint a spokesman to talk on my behalf. I will talk directly to the press. I believe we can maintain a good relationship," said Susilo.

Susilo, who is a retired four-star Army general, said that he would hold regular monthly meetings with the press.

Alluding to his alleged involvement in the July 27, 1996, violence at the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters in Central Jakarta, Susilo said that he was concerned that the case was now being used as a political tool to discredit him.

"I welcome the reopening of the case so that it can be clearly established who was involved and who is innocent. Let the truth be revealed," said Susilo.

An investigating team comprising police, prosecutors and the Military Police is set to reopen the investigation into the violence, which claimed five lives and injured 149. Another 23 people are still missing, according to official figures.

Susilo was the chief of the Jakarta Military Garrison in 1996 when the incident occurred. He was questioned by the team as a witness in the case in 2000 but was not named a suspect.