Residents raised pro-independence flags across the province
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| Papuan |
Jayapura & Sorong. The Indonesian government’s
celebration of the 50th anniversary of the integration of Papua on
Wednesday was overshadowed by pro-independence flags being raised across
the region and reports of a deadly shooting of separatist activists by
police.
Police allegedly killed two activists and arrested six others after
reporters witnessed them raising the Free Papua Organization’s Morning
Star flag on Jalan Raya Adibay, Biak, on Wednesday morning.
“There is information that two people were shot, but we’re still
investigating it by gathering information from officers who detained
them,” Papua Police spokesman Sr. Comr. I Gede Sumerta Jaya said on
Wednesday.
The spokesman denied that residents hoisted the flag, instead saying
that police were called in to break up a mob that was provoking local
residents.
“There was no Morning Star [flag] hoisting in Biak, only dozens of people making speeches,” Sumerta said.
The spokesman said that when police tried to break up the gathering,
members clashed with the officers and tried to steal their weapons.
Police detained six of them, Sumerta said, adding that a firearm, arrows
and machetes were confiscated.
The pro-independence flag was raised repeatedly across the two
provinces comprising the Papua region on Wednesday. In Fakfak, West
Papua province, police hauled down a Morning Star flag raised at a
pre-dawn ceremony at a local school.
In Papua province the National Liberation Army of the Free Papua
Organization (TPN-OPM) raised the Morning Star flag at a pre-dawn event
in Kemtumilena hamlet, Jayapura district.
Flag raisings were also conducted at other settlements in the province, including Bukisi and Demta.
Western New Guinea came under interim Indonesian administration in
accordance with the UN-ratified New York Agreement on 1 May 1963, a date
celebrated yesterday by the Indonesian government with a ceremony led
by Papua Armed Forces chief Maj. Gen. Christian Zebua in Sorong.
Full integration with Indonesia was completed in 1969 through the
controversial “Act of Free Choice” vote which was restricted to 1025 men
selected by the Indonesian military, rather than open to all adults, as
the UN mandate specified.
The government has come under sustained criticism of its handling of
development and security in the region over the intervening 50 years.
In a meeting with Papua Governor Lukas Enembe and other officials on
Monday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono introduced new policy
proposal to calm the two restive Papuan provinces.
The region’s status would be upgraded to “Special Autonomy Plus” by
August, the president said, without detailing what this would entail and
how existing laws would be brought into line.
Yudhoyono said he planned to seek the input of local residents and
other stakeholders in drafting the revision, which would likely require
ratification by the House of Representatives.
Doubts linger on how effective the government’s newest attempt to secure welfare for Papua and West Papua will be.
Based on the data from the Center Statistics Agency (BPS), 27 percent
of people in West Papua and 30 percent of people in Papua live below
the poverty line.
The government has already disbursed around Rp 40 trillion ($4.12
billion) to the provinces since 2001, but violence, security concerns
and poverty remain the norm.
This year, the central government gave the two provinces Rp 7
trillion. The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) announced this week it plans to
monitor the funds.
Poengky Indarti, the director of human rights organization Imparsial,
told Suara Pembaruan on Wednesday that the problem in Papua was that
policies were implemented from the top, without considering input from
the residents. He said Papuans feel that their concerns are not heard
for decisions that will effect their lives.
“Beside that, the most important thing is to punish the officials and
elites in Papua who embezzled [regional budget funds], while punishing
those who commit violence,” Poengky said.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Priyo Budi Santoso
from Golkar Party said that he did not understand the president’s
intentions .
“It was probably meant well, but the concept isn’t clear. How far should the Papuan autonomy extension go,” said Priyo.
“Implementation of the current Papuan special autonomy, and its
consequences, aren’t fully comprehended by the government,” Priyo said
on Tuesday, adding that the president was neglecting to involve
lawmakers in the special status revision.
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Puan
Maharani urged the government to provide a comprehensive solution for
Papua, instead of addressing each problem separately.
Additional reporting by SP/Carlos Paath, Markus Junianto Sihaloho, Ezra Sihite - Jakarta Globe
