West Irian Jaya governor sworn in, despite dispute

West Irian Jaya governor sworn in, despite dispute

Nethy Dharma Somba and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post,
Jayapura/Jakarta

Minister of Home Affairs Hari Sabarno installed on Friday Brig.
Gen. (ret) Abraham Octovianus Atururi as the governor of West
Irian Jaya province, despite controversy over the status of the
province.

Atuturi was inaugurated based on presidential decree No. 213/M
dated Nov. 11, 2003, which followed a previous decree stipulating
the creation of the province signed in January.

His inauguration marks the official split of West Irian Jaya
from Papua.

Atururi had been appointed governor under the transitional
government of president B.J. Habibie in 1999. However, mounting
opposition later prompted a delay in the regional split.

The inauguration on Friday took place at the home ministry at
8 a.m. and was attended by Decky Asmuruf, secretary of the Papua
administration.

Atuturi's sudden inauguration prompted criticism from Papuan
leaders and people.

Speaker of Papua provincial legislature John Ibo said the
inauguration violated existing regulations. He said anyone taking
the gubernatorial post must be an active official, not someone
who had retired from office.

Ibo added that the decision contradicted a recommendation from
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) issued during its latest
annual session in August that the government revise Law No.
45/1999 on the division of Papua into three smaller provinces.

Secretary of the Center of Information for Humanity, Justice
and Truth in Papua (PIK-3-TanPa) Frans Maniagasi agreed with John
Ibo, saying that the inauguration was legally flawed.

"I am afraid the inauguration will spark social conflict in
Papua," he told the media in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, a team advocating special autonomy for Papua
demanded on Friday the Constitutional Court review Law No.
45/1999 because it contradicted Law No. 21/2001 on special
autonomy for Papua. It suggests that a regional split should win
approval from the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), which does not
yet exist.

A member of the team, Iskandar Sonhaji, said that the
inauguration of the governor showed the government's lack of
respect for the law.

He said the team asked the Constitutional Court to revise
nearly 20 articles in Law No. 45/1999 because they contradicted
Article 18-B of the amended Constitution, which says that the
state recognizes and respects entities of regional administration
that have special status.

Secretary of Papua provincial administration Decky Asmuruf,
meanwhile, said that regardless of their opinion, the people of
Papua must accept the inauguration of Atururi.

"This is a decision from the state, so officers in the Papua
provincial administration must abide by it," he said.

In a related development, General Elections Commission (KPU)
member Mulyana W. Kusumah said on Friday the KPU would follow up
the formal existence of West Irian Jaya province with the
establishment of a provincial elections commission (KPUD).

"We shall carry out a test of suitability to select five of 10
candidates for members of West Irian Jaya KPUD," he told the
Jakarta Post.

Pending the establishment of the West Irian Jaya KPUD, the
Papua election commission will carry out the job of its
neighboring counterpart, including the verification of political
parties and regional representative aspirants, Mulyana added.

KPU earlier allocated 10 House of Representatives seats to
Papua and three to West Irian Jaya.