National

President: Special Autonomy to Lessen Differences in Papua
Wednesday, 24 August, 2005 | 05:22 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesian President Yudhoyono has said that the provinces of Papua and West Irian Jaya are legitimate parts of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

The implementation of special autonomy in these two provinces, the President said, was aimed at lessening differences and improving people’s welfare.

“This is important to provide opportunities, particularly for indigenous Papuans, to build their region based on the aspirations of the people and the regional government,” stated Yudhoyono during a plenary session of the Regional Representatives Assembly on Tuesday (23/08).

According to the President, local governments must be intelligent in utilizing the opportunities provided by special autonomy and work more seriously and harder.

The next measure that must be carried out immediately by the Papuan and West Irian Jaya provincial governments, said Yudhoyono, was to establish the Papuan People’s Assembly.

According to the President, the central government has already handed over special autonomy funds to the Papuan provincial government.

“Therefore, make use of the available funds so that the people of Papua and West Irian Jaya will soon feel the benefits,” said Yudhoyono.

The government, the President said, wished to state that the existence of the West Irian Jaya province was legal.

“The material examination by the Constitution Court (MK), which annulled Law No.45/1999, did not cause this province to lose the legal base of its establishment because the ruling made by the MK is not retroactive,” stated Yudhoyono.

The problem of special autonomy has been the focus of Papuan people’s attention.

On August 12, thousands of people, backed by the Papuan Traditions’ Council (DAP), went to the streets in order to return the special autonomy authority to the central government via the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD). (Dimas Adityo-Tempo News Room)