The Jakarta Post, March 11, 2003
Papuans protest new provinces
JAYAPURA, Papua: A crowd of some 100 students demonstrated on Monday before
the provincial legislature against Jakarta's move to split Papua into three provinces,
arguing it would attract more migrants to the natural resources-rich, yet sparely
populated region.
Calling themselves the Mid-Mountain People's Care Forum, the protesters, mostly
students, argued that dividing Papua in three provinces benefited Jakarta but would
harm locals.
They feared an influx of migrants, reasoning Papuans were unlikely to fill all the new
posts needed to run the two new provincial governments.
Locals have long complained about discrimination by migrants since the region came
under Indonesian rule during the 1960s.
Poverty and unemployment remains a problem in Papua despite its advanced
exploitation of natural resources. As education has been lacking, most of the
higher-paid jobs have been filled by outsiders.
Monday's rally was the third since President Megawati Soekarnoputri approved the
addition of two new provinces to Papua last January.
The move is aimed to bring better public services to the 2.4 million Papuans who live
in a region about three times the size of Java. -- JP
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