The Jakarta Post, February 02, 2006
Most locals reject Papua split: MRP
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Papua People's Council (MRP) is stepping up its opposition to Jakarta's policy to
split Papua, saying a recent survey found most people object to the plan.
MRP chairman Agus Alue Alua said The council had conducted a survey to find out
what people's views were on the controversial policy to set up the new West Irian Jaya
province.
According to the 2001 law on special autonomy for Papua, any division of the territory
requires the approval of the MRP, the provincial legislature and the governor.
In a telephone interview with The Jakarta Post last week, Agus said that MRP officials
conducted a series of public meetings throughout West Papua. The large majority of
respondents, made up of people from women's groups, the church, tribal assemblies
and non-governmental organizations, all expressed their strong opposition to the plan,
he said.
Neither had any of the respondents ever been involved in the decision-making
process, he said.
"Most respondents, in the provincial capital of Manokwari and in all the regencies,
reject the new province. They said the province was established by Jakarta with the
support of a few local politicians who would gain politically and economically from it,"
Agus said.
He knew of only between 10 and 20 government officials who supported the creation of
the new province.
"The Papuan people don't see any urgency to form a new province. They want the
government to prioritize other important issues, such as (resolving) human rights
abuses, the widening gap between indigenous people and migrants and rampant
corruption among local officials," he said.
Papuans want to directly elect a governor for the whole province to replace JP
Solossa, who died of heart attack last month, he said.
Following up last November's meeting with Papuan leaders to set up the MRP, Vice
President Jusuf Kalla on Jan. 9 asked the MRP, the provincial legislature and the
governor to vote for the creation of West Irian Jaya by mid-May.
In November's meeting, Jakarta and some Papuan leaders agreed to sign a
government regulation in lieu of law, or Perpu, which would provide a legal basis for
the establishment of the new province.
The Perpu has provoked widespread protest in Papua and is yet to be enforced.
The central government insists that the split is necessary to better manage the large
territory. However, its critics say the policy goes against the special autonomy law
and is unconstitutional. In an odd decision, the Constitutional Court agreed with the
critics in November 2004, but ruled the creation of West Irian Jaya should go ahead
anyway.
Papuan political observer Frans Maniagassi and Cendrawasih University social
scientist Agus Sumule in Manokwari said Jakarta should consider the results of the
MRP's public consultation.
They said Papuans would be more likely to press ahead with demands for a
self-determination referendum if Jakarta continued to insist on dividing the province.
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