Selection of MRP members should stop, say church leaders

Press Release – West Papua Media Alerts

Given the growing concern about the implementation of Special Autonomy (OTSUS) as reflected in the decisions of the Grand Assembly of the MRP and the Papuan Indigenous People held on 9-10 June 2010, several church leaders have called on the Indonesian …Bintang Papua,11 January 2011

Given the growing concern about the implementation of Special Autonomy (OTSUS) as reflected in the decisions of the Grand Assembly of the MRP and the Papuan Indigenous People held on 9-10 June 2010, several church leaders have called on the Indonesian president, the governors of the provinces of Papua and West Papua
and the chairmen of the provincial legislative assemblies to halt the process of selecting members of the MRP (Majelis Rakyat Papua – Papuan People’s Assembly) until such time as there are clear answers to the eleven recommendations that were submitted to the provincial assembly (DPRP) on 18 June 2010, according to a joint communique by the churches The signatories include the head of the Evangelical Church, the GKI, Rev. Jemima Krey, the head of the Kingmi church, Rev. Benny Giay, Rev. Socrates Yoman and the head of the Pentacostal Church, Rev. Tonny Infandi.

The assembly held in June 2010 which was facilitated by the MRP was an official forum representing the voice of the Papuan people, well within the framework of the rule of law in Indonesia. On that occasion, the Papuan people clearly expressed the view that the OTSUS Law 21/2001 had failed to result in any improvements in the living conditions of the Papuan people which is why the Papuan people had returned the law to Jakarta.

The handing back of the law to the two provincial assemblies occurred in Jayapura and Manokwari on 18 June 2010, when a deadline of one month was set for members of the asemblies to hold plenary sessions to respond to the people’s aspirations, but since that time, neither of the assemblies had adopted any measures to respond to these demands.

The impression is that the the central government as well as the provincial assemblies are not in any way interested in taking any action to improve the implementation of OTSUS, which is in direct contradiction with the wishes of the Papuan people.

The situation has been further aggravated by current moves to set up a new MRP, a body that has now been rejected by the Papuan people.

There is even the impression that the central government via the intermediary of the United Agency of the Papuan Provinces, is about to create a ‘puppet MRP’ within the framework of the OTSUS law that will be incapable of granting protection and upholding the basis rights of the indigenous Papuan people.

Church leaders regard the creation of such an MRP as being in serious violation of the dignity of the Papuan people. The church leaders therefore state the following:

Firstly, we respect the aspirations of the indigenous Papuan people as declared in the decisions of the Grand Assembly on 9 -10 June 2010, that OTSUS has failed and has been returned to the central government.

Secondly, that the central government and the provincial assemblies should immediately stop all moves to select members of the MRP until such time as there are concrete responses to the results of the Grand Assembly that were made public on 16 June 2010.

Thirdly, we call upon the governors of the Papuan provinces to stop ignoring the aspirations of the Papuan people and to sit down with the people to hold comprehensive talks about Papuan aspirations in rejection of OTSUS, democratically and in a spirit of justice.

Fourthly, we call on the central government to enter in dialogue with the Papuan people so as to bring to an end the protracted legal and political uncertainty which has brought despair to the Papuan people who we lead in this Land of Papua.

Fifthly, we reject all attempts or formulations that spread confusion about the demand for dialogue between the Papuan people and the government of Indonesia which has for many years been expressed by the Papuan people.

Sixthly, we urge the Indonesian government to stop all forms of intimidation and terror and other repressive measures that are aimed at stifling critical opinions from our community regarding development that is now under way in the Land of Papua which has failed to respect the interests of the common people.

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Bintang Papua, 11 January 2011

Forkorus Yaboisembut, the chairman of the Papuan Indigenous Council, DAP has reported that two members of the police force came to visit him at 2pm the previous day, saying that they wanted to take him to Jayapura police headquarters to question him about a case of bribery in connection with attempts to kill him some time ago.

Speaking by phone to Bintang Papua, Forkorus said that he was confused by the police officers’ visit because, according to him, the case they wished to discuss had been resolved in a collegial fashion within the kampung. He said that there had been some misunderstandings between himself and some of his grandchildren but the matter had been resolved peacefully in November 2010. If the police now intend to investigate the matter, this would be quite wrong because the matter had already been resolved within the family.

‘There is no need for the police to investigate the matter,’ said Forkorus, ‘because I have already told the media that the matter has been resolved.’ He said that the money involved had already been returned to its rightful owners within the family. The incident had occurred when one of his grandchildren, under the influence of drink, had made threatening remarks against him.

The local chief of police has denied that they had made any attempt to take Forkorus in for questioning.

ENDS SOURCE