Sentani, Jubi – Dozens of members of the Papua Customary Youth (Pemuda Adat Papua/PAP) left for Jakarta last week to hold a rally in front of the Presidential Palace.
Their main goal is to urge the central government to close mining activities run by PT. Freeport Indonesia in Timika and to replace the Special Autonomy Law 2001 that has been implemented for 15 years in Papua.
PAP Chairman Decky Ovide said a change in the the Special Autonomy Law 2001 in Papua is one of important points to be expressed to the Central Government. “After a long reflection, we understand that the Special Autonomy Law has not given any impact to the Papuans’ prosperity,” he told Jubi by phone on Saturday (5/3/2016).
He explained the Special Autonomy Law must be entirely redrafted, because it wasn’t well implemented. “Where did the money go? It’s not clear,” he said.
Every paragraphs and articles of the Special Autonomy Law, he continued, must be reviewed. Promised free education and health services have not been yet implemented as well as the economic and infrastructure development. Everything was not running well until now,” he said.
He continued the protest was to urge the Central Government to agree conducting evaluation on the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law in Papua, including the expenditure report of received fund.
“We give three months for the Central Government to evaluate the Special Autonomy Law. They must involve the Provincial Government and Papuan community leaders. There are only two solutions for Papua, that are to reconstruct the Special Autonomy Law or to negotiate the Special Autonomy Plus,” he said.
PAP request is almost similar with the statement of Papua Governor some times ago to resume the Special Autonomy fund to the Central Government, which made some parties assuming he was involved with the rally.
“I am not involved with the protest asking the shut down of Freeport or resuming the Special Autonomy fund. It is not my business as the governor,” said Papua Governor Lukas Enembe. (Engel Wally/rom)
