Jayapura, Jubi – Papua councilor Laurenzus Kadepa said although Papua and Aceh equally have the Special Autonomy Law, but the Central Government considers both regions from different point of view. Aceh likely have less restrictions than Papua.
Kadepa made the statement concerning the rise of Moon-Star flag in Aceh Legislative Council’s official meeting last week. In the meeting, Aceh councilors spread the Moon-Star flag as regional symbol, which is associated with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM).
“If the Morning Flag was risen in Papua Legislative Council’s meeting, I believe the Indonesian Military/Police will take a brutal act for the sake of the State. It might cause fatality. If Papua was as free as Aceh, it would be fair because both similarly have special authority. But so far there is a difference. We always have to follow the State’s policy that full of sense of discrimination and racial,” Kadepa told Jubi on Thursday (10/3/2016).
According to him, Moon-Star flag is similar with the Morning Star flag in Papua. So he thought it was a discrimination.
“When Gus dur (Abdurahman Wahid) was the Indonesian President, he proclaimed for regional symbol. He considered it as cultural strength. But it’s difficult to continue by other presidents after him,” he said.
He gave example when Koran Jubi published a headline with the Morning Star flag as the illustration with Papua Parliament Office in the background. It received many responses; some said it was the Free Papua Movement Office and so on.
“It was an illustration. What about if the flag was truly risen? At that time Jubi published the comment of the Chairman of Papua Legislative Council that remind the Indonesian Military/Police to be alert in running their task, not to victimize the innocence people, ahead of 1 July 2015 that considered by Papuans as the Anniversary of Free Papua Movement,” he said.
As published in some online media few days ago, Aceh councilors have spread a flag of moon and star while discus about regional regulation on flag and symbol. The flag of 3 x 1 meters was given to the Chairman of Aceh Legislative Council Teuku Muharrudin.
“Overall it has included in the implementation of MoU Helsinki and UUPA. We are now focusing on its raising. The meeting was also underline about the clarification on the raising of Aceh flag. It must be clear, if not we will refuse the Regional Head Election in Aceh,” said the Chairman of Commission I of Aceh Regional Legislative Council, Abdullah Shaleh.
Commission I urged the Aceh Governor to not longer discuss about it, but to implement the raising of Aceh flag. It is, he said, the symbol of Aceh, so it is important to be risen immediately.
“Now, the problem is the implementation. The Central Government still has a doubt in this matter. It shouldn’t hesitate. Once it’s implemented, we will focuse on the development to the revitalization of Aceh,” said Abdullah. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
