Sunday, October 17, 2010 03:56 AM
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Ministers, Papua leaders to meet on autonomy
=Regional Representatives Council (DPD) will host a meeting between ministers and Papuan leaders
on Monday to break the impasse over the future of Papuan autonomy.
on Monday to break the impasse over the future of Papuan autonomy.
The meeting will focus on stalled talks on leadership change in the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP)
and how to recover lost trust between the sides.
and how to recover lost trust between the sides.
DPD Deputy Speaker Laode Ida said the MRP, whose current term will end this month, should already
have elected new members. Elections have not been held due to disagreements between local leaders
and the central government.
have elected new members. Elections have not been held due to disagreements between local leaders
and the central government.
“With political support from the parliamentary caucus of eastern Indonesia and local elites in Papua,
the DPD will encourage both sides to extend the 75-member MRP’s term until new members are
elected,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
the DPD will encourage both sides to extend the 75-member MRP’s term until new members are
elected,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Outgoing MRP chairman Agus Alua told the Post that according to the Law on Special Autonomy for
Papua, MRP elections should have occurred in August but were suspended after the central
government rejected the idea of a single MRP for Papua and West Papua.
Papua, MRP elections should have occurred in August but were suspended after the central
government rejected the idea of a single MRP for Papua and West Papua.
“Ongoing deliberation by the MRP and the provincial legislature on bills mandated by the special
autonomy law will be put off indefinitely,” he said.
autonomy law will be put off indefinitely,” he said.
The MRP has endorsed eight of 17 special bylaws, including bills on the MRP and its job description,
Papuan people’s communal rights, communal courts, forestry and intellectual rights.
Papuan people’s communal rights, communal courts, forestry and intellectual rights.
The central government rejected a bylaw allowing indigenous people to contest local elections during
special autonomy’s 30-year implementation period. The central government has not commented on
the report of a Presidential team from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences on their peace mission in
Papua.
special autonomy’s 30-year implementation period. The central government has not commented on
the report of a Presidential team from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences on their peace mission in
Papua.
The team called for dialogue between the central government and Papua to seek a comprehensive
solution to the autonomy issue.
solution to the autonomy issue.
Laode said that the DPD was concerned about the complexity of the Papuan issue and the implications
of stagnant implementation of special autonomy due to the absence of mutual trust.
of stagnant implementation of special autonomy due to the absence of mutual trust.
He said the central government’s suspicions of a Papuan separatist agenda were baseless. A
population comprised of 250 deeply divided ethnic groups, each speaking different dialects, coupled
with the number of migrants, would make it difficult for Papua to unite to seek independence, he added.
population comprised of 250 deeply divided ethnic groups, each speaking different dialects, coupled
with the number of migrants, would make it difficult for Papua to unite to seek independence, he added.
University of Indonesia public administration expert Sojuangon Situmorang agreed with Laode, saying
the issues’ settlement would depend on the commitment of the central government and local elites.
the issues’ settlement would depend on the commitment of the central government and local elites.
“Substantial progresss has been made over the past nine years since special autonomy began in
2001, but progress has been obstructed by Jakarta’s suspicion and the Papuan people’s distrust of
the central government. Problems can be settled if both sides open their minds and are honest in
implementing special autonomy,” he said.
2001, but progress has been obstructed by Jakarta’s suspicion and the Papuan people’s distrust of
the central government. Problems can be settled if both sides open their minds and are honest in
implementing special autonomy,” he said.
Sojuangon, who was also acting governor of Papua in 2005, said the central government and the
Papua political elite should develop a common understanding of the root problems in Papua’s two
provinces and commit to improving the quality of human resources to allow Papua to catch up with
other provinces.
Papua political elite should develop a common understanding of the root problems in Papua’s two
provinces and commit to improving the quality of human resources to allow Papua to catch up with
other provinces.
Demands for self-determination by the two resource-rich provinces have increased due to what
some see as the central government’s half-hearted support for special autonomy in Papua.
some see as the central government’s half-hearted support for special autonomy in Papua.
Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/10/15/ministers-papua-leaders-meet-autonomy.html
This is the Show of Jakarta arrogance. If GoI really want to resolve the long-standing conflict of Papua, then a genuine Negotiation with the Pro-Independence group should be prioritized. Stop ignoring them!
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