ABC AUSTRALIA, 3/2/2003
INDONESIA : Decree to split Papua issued
Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri appears to have set herself on a collision
course with political leaders in the troubled province of Papua. The Indonesian daily
newspaper, Kompas, reports that President Megawati has issued a decree calling for
the accelerated implementation of an old law which divides the province into three
seperate provinces. The decree, which appears to be the first issued by the president
this year, directly contradicts the special autonomy law for Papua, which was passed
in 2001 in an attempt to undermine the province's fight to break away from Indonesian
control.
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Presenter/Interviewer: Tricia Fitzgerald
Speakers: Doctor Richard Chauvel, of Victoria University; John Rumbiak, Papua's
ELSHAM human rights group
3/2/2003 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
