IRJABAR's Rp 4 trillion allocation worth supporting

A delegation aiming to separate a new Southwest Papua autonomous province from Irian Jaya Barat province wrongly addressed its petition to the Papua Legislative Council in Jayapura, the leader of a Papuan intellectual committee revealed to The Jakarta Post. "[It should have gone] to the West Irian Jaya legislature (in Manokwari)instead and not the Papua legislature. West Irian Jaya has its own governor and legislature now," Lazarus Indow, chairman of the Manokwari Arfak Intellectuals, said.

The proposed Southwest Papua province, consisting of Sorong mayoralty, Sorong regency, South Sorong regency, Raja Ampat regency and Teluk Bintuni regency.

Lazurus argues that the citizens should first support the development of Irian Jaya Barat which had been had allocated Rp 4 trillion (US$545 million) to its annual budget through the Minister of Industry and Trade Mari E. Pangestu in Manokwari earlier this month.

He said the secession effort sprang from the disappointment of people who lost in the election last year. The leader of the delegation, Decky Asmuruf, had run for and lost the election. "Why did he run as a gubernatorial candidate if he argues that the province has no legal basis? Logically, he recognized West Irian Jaya's existence by running in the election. Why has he brought up the issue now?" Lazarus asked.

Barnabas Suebu named Papua governor

Barnabas Suebu was officially named the winner of Papua province's first direct gubernatorial election following a 10-hour plenary session of the provincial General Elections Commission (KPUD) on Monday. In the 10 March election, former governor Barnabas and his running mate, Golkar Party legislator Alexander Hessegem, garnered 354,763 of the over 1.1 million valid votes. Over 17,000 votes were declared invalid and thrown out.

Barnabas was followed by Lukas Enembe with 333,629 votes, John Ibo with 258,472 votes, Constant Karma with 112,032 votes and Dick Henk Wabiser with 67,678 votes. The plenary session, which started at 9 a.m., was marked by repeated interruptions by four members of Lukas' campaign team, who demanded the Papua KPUD postpone the session until the vote count in Yahukimo regency was repeated.

"The Yahukimo KPUD did not hold a plenary session to count the votes, but the result was simply announced by its chairman ...," said a member of the Lukas camp, Ham Pagawak. The interruptions forced the KPUD members to suspend the session twice before Papua Police chief Insp. Gen. Tommy Jacobus escorted Lukas' campaign members from the room.

Papua KPUD chairman Marthen Ferry Kareth said allegations of fraud should be taken to the Supreme Court, along with any evidence, because the KPUD was not authorized to rule on allegations of irregularities in Yahukimo. "Please raise your objections with the Supreme Court, along with strong evidence," Marthen said. Lukas' camp claims it lost 11,000 votes, which it alleges went to Barnabas.

After it was agreed that all allegations of voting irregularities would be taken to the courts, witnesses for the five gubernatorial candidates signed the vote count reports from the province's 19 regencies and one city. All of the candidates except for Constant Karma and John Ibo attended the session, but Lukas left during the lunch break and did not return until after the session had ended.

Following the session, Barnabas, who was backed by a coalition of five parties, including the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), thanked voters and promised to work with people from all political parties to build the province. "I express my gratitude and appreciation for the trust that has been placed in me. This trust is an honor, an honor that carries a big responsibility," he told journalists.

Responding to the allegation of fraud, Barnabas urged that the matter be taken to court, where he said he was ready to face any charges. Lukas campaign team member Muhammad Musa'ad said his camp would take the matter to court as a "political lesson" for all Papuans. Papua KPUD chairman Marthen said the candidates had three days to challenge the result of the election at the Supreme Court, through the Papua High Court.

"If the legal process changes the result of the election, Papua KPUD is ready to hold another plenary session. But if the decision of the court is the same (as KPUD's), I ask everyone to respect the Supreme Court's decision," he said.

Golkar's Yorrys challenges Irian Jaya Barat results

Lawyers representing the losing candidate in Irian Jaya Barat's first election of governor have filed suit against the provincial General Elections Commission (KPUD) over what they allege to be voting irregularities. Yorrys Th. Raweyai's lawyers filed the suit at the Jayapura High Court in Papua province on Monday. Irian Jaya barat does not yet vhave its own high court.

Lawyer Radja Simanjuntak claimed the total number of votes recorded in Irian Jaya Barat's eight regencies and a city exceeded the number of official registered voters. He also said Yorrys had received fewer votes than he should have because hundreds of his supporters did not receive voting cards before the 11 March election. Over 78,000 votes were added to ensure the victory of Abraham Octovianus Atururi and his running mate Rahimim Katjong in the election for the new province's governor and deputy governor, Radja alleged. He also claimed more than 26,000 votes for Yorrys were lost.

"There were many people who did not cast their votes at polling stations or who voted before March 11," Radja said. He added that Yorrys' legal team had prepared 17 witnesses to testify in the case.

Yorrys and his supporters hope the courts will either cancel the inauguration of Abraham and swear in Yorrys instead, or call a new election. The provincial council declared Abraham and Katjong the winners of the election during a plenary session March 23. In the official count, Abraham received 183,279 votes and Yorrys 68,609 votes.

"KPUD has authentic and legitimate evidence to support the election result, but if they want to go to court they can. There's a legal process, let the court decide whether (the allegations) are right or wrong," said Irian Jaya Barat KPUD chairwoman Regina Sauyai. - JP

Background on Bas, 2nd-term Papuan Governor

From Tri Agus Siswowiharjo at ParasIndonesia

Barnabas Suebu, the man with a Mike Tyson-like figure was born 60 years ago in Ifale, a small island in Lake Sentani, Jayapura. Bas, as he is often called, started his political career early through the Indonesian National Youth Committee (KNPI) while finishing his Law degree at the University of Cendrawasih, Jayapura. With his popularity growing, and lobby skill improving, and was elected as Chair of the Provincial House of Representatives (DPRD). Aside from politics, the man was also known as a businessman. He once chaired the Papuan Chamber of Commerce (Kadin). In 1988, he was elected as governor of Papua (Irian Jaya) for the 1988 – 1993 rather peaceful term.

"I often visited villages throughout the province,” said Bas. His brush with death came when he visited Wamena. He was almost stabbed by a villager who claimed frustrated because of land problems. Later, after talking and discussing with the attacker, Bas asked the police to release the villager. He gave his attacker money and to this day they have remained friends.

From the five candidates, Bas seems to be the most experienced and knowledgeable in handling the mane problems of Papua. In a forum with the university students of Papua in Biak, Bas joked that there are three classes of autonomy community. “I got invited to talk here and there about autonomy, so people classify me as member of autonomy experts,” said Bas. Then, he continued, there are the governors and regents. “They are the ones enjoying the autonomy,” he said. Finally, there are the people of Papua. Poor and hungry. “They are classified as victims of autonomy,” he concluded.

The bitter humor in somehow summaries the current condition of Papua nowadays. The Indonesian government pours in trillions of rupiah each year as its autonomy allocated fund according to the Special Autonomy Regulation No. 21/2001. However, by looking at the Papuan condition, there seems little evidence that the money went beyond the bureaucracy. Ironically, poverty, and even famine, like in the case of the Yahukimo people, is the fact of life. These are hungry people living on a rich land.

Aside from poverty and famine, Papua is a land of conflict. Since the fall of the Soeharto regime, the demand for “M” (which stands for merdeka or independence) has grown in Papua. And the central government has not been keeping quiet. Several methods have been implemented in the effort to reduce the independence sentiment. President Habibie was helped by Bas Suebu who organized a meeting of 100 Papuan leaders with the president in his palace. In that meeting, the majority of the leaders wanted the word “M”, while the president, still fresh from the Timor referendum, asked them to think things over. Eventually, the delegations agreed to compromise and led to the birth of the Special Autonomy Regulation in 2001.

Abraham takes lead in Irian Jaya Barat counting

Supporters of former Sorong regent Abraham Octovianus Atururi celebrated Sunday amid provisional results showing him headed for victory in West Irian Jaya's first direct gubernatorial election. Abraham, whose running mate is Rahimin Katjong, was reported ahead in all the election regions -- eight regencies and one mayoralty -- in the newly established but disputed province.

Many of Abraham's supporters, including members of the Arfak tribe in traditional attire and carrying spears and arrows, flocked to his house to dance and sing in celebration. They were treated to a feast at the home, although latecomers were forced to do with bottled water when the food ran out. "Pak Abraham deserves the victory because besides being an indigenous man of West Irian Jaya, he has also contributed greatly to West Irian Jaya in the regional administration, including as the regent of Sorong," his campaign team manager Terianus Nauw said. He was confident Abraham, who is a former marine brigadier general, would carry out his campaign pledges, which centered on improving public welfare.

Elections and the assets of Irian Jaya Barat

From Yosef Ardi

The three teams contesting the first election for the new province of irian Jaya Barat in Indonesian New Guinea are Abraham Oktavianus Atururi-Rahimin Katjong (endorsed by PDI-P, Partai Damai Sejahtera and Partai Serikat Islam), Yorris Raweyai-HM Killian (Golkar Pary), and Dortheis 'Decky' Asmuruf-Ali Kastela (six parties, including PPP, PAN, and PIB).

The province has around 647,000 residents in nine regencies (Sorong, Manokwari, Fak Fak, Sorong Selatan, Raja Ampat, Teluk Bintuni, Teluk Wondama, Kalimana, and Kota Sorong). With hundreds of local tribes, Javanese makes up the largest of Irajabar population at 11.23%, followed by Biak Numfor (7.41%), Iwur (5.64%), and Bugis (4.59%).

Irjabar has huge oil and gas reserves. The US$3 billion LNG Tangguh project, owned by BP, CNOOC, and Japanese companies, is located in the Teluk Bintuni regency. Gas fields in Muturi, Berau, and Wiriagar with estimated reserves of 14 trillion cubic feet (TCF) will be the main soure of supply for the Tangguh LNG plants.

BP is involved in five oil and gas exploration activities in the new province. They are West Arguni, East Arguni, Berau, Wiriagar, and Babo. PetroChina, Lundin International, Pearl Oil, and Pertamina co-owns the Kepala Burung Block which already in the production stage. The same companies also operate the Salawati Block, also producing oil. Lundin has another block called Sareba, Bintuni basin. Meanwhile Medco International through its subsidiary PT Expan Nusantara has exploration activity in Yapen block, Manokwari regency

Fishing is the second most important industry. Several foreign-owned companies involved in Sorong's fishery business are PT Usaha Mina, PT West Irian Industries Fishing (WIIF), PT Irian Marine Product Development (IMPD), PT Alfa Kurnia and PT Dwi Bina Mutiara.

Consitutional Court reaffirms Irian Jaya Barat

Despite opposition from many Papua province interest groups, the Indonesian Constitutional Court has reaffirmed the status of Irian Jaya Barat as a separate province, saying it only lacks a legal operational basis to regulate government activities there. Irian Jaya Barat Legislative Council chief Jimmy Demianus Itjie and Irian Jaya barat caretaker governor Timbul Pudjianto were part of a delegation that met Tuesday with Constitutional Court Chief Justice Jimly Asshiddiqie and justice Achmad Rustandi to ask about the current legal status of their province.

In 2004, the Constitutional Court was asked to rule on the validity of Irian Jaya Barat province, established in 1999, following the enactment of the 2001 Papua Special Autonomy Law. The latter stipulated that any partitioning of Papua province would require the approval of the Papua People's Assembly (MRP). The court ruled the 1999 law was unconstitutional, but said the 2001 law could not be applied retroactively because Irian Jaya Barat was already established as a province.

"Establishment of a gubernatorial government is an act of law which cannot be rescinded," Jimly said. His comment drew cheers from the delegation, The Jakarta Post reported..

He noted that under the Constitutional Court's ruling, the government needed to establish a legal basis regulating operational matters for its activities there, not a legal basis for the province itself. The government missed its deadline of 20 February to reach a solution with groups opposed to the partition of Papua to establish Irian Jaya Barat.

Jimly reiterated that because Irian Jaya Barat was established by the 1999 law and legitimised by the court in 2004, the special autonomy law of 2001 was not pertinent. He added that he believed every party involved in the issue understood the 2004 Constitutional Court's decision. "It is just a matter of determination from the government," he said. "The Constitutional Court cannot dictate to the government what to do."

Jimmy said he was relieved by the explanation, and the province would go ahead with gubernatorial elections on 10 March concurrently with Papua provincial polls.

Golkar backs Yorrys for Irian Jaya Barat elections

Yorrys Raweyai, a former leader of one of the country’s most feared "thugs-for-hire" groups, has registered himself as a candidate for the governorship of Irian Jaya Barat province. Reports said Yorrys and his running mate Abdul M. Killian were nominated by Golkar Party and two smaller parties, Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) and Indonesia Unity Party (PSI) for next month’s gubernatorial election, Laksamana.net reported. Yorrys, of ethnic Chinese and Papuan background, was well known in the 1990s as deputy leader of Pemuda Pancasila, a youth organization that ran protection rackets and often carried out the dirty work of the military during former dictator Suharto’s regime.

Pemuda Pancasila, which gained notoriety for attacking pro-democracy groups, provoking violence and bribing people to vote for Golkar, has lost much of its power in the underworld following the fall of Suharto in 1998. In 2001, members of the group formed their own political party, the Pancasila Patriots’ Party, which came 15th out of the 24 parties that contested the 2004 general election, winning 0.95% of the vote and no seats in parliament.

Yorrys remained a member of Golkar and is now a leader of the party’s Youth Movement (AMPG). He and Killian registered as candidates on 24 June 2005 in the provincial capital Manokwari. Killian is currently a member of the Papua province legislative assembly and the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR). Asked about his policies, Yorrys said improving law enforcement was the key to achieving clean governance. He also promised to increase public health and education services.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who is also Golkar chairman, visited Manokwari earlier this month to attend a meeting in which Yorrys was nominated as the party’s candidate for governor. Kalla said Golkar remained the most popular political party throughout Papua because it had always kept its promises.

Yorrys has been accused of supplying funds to Papuan pro-independence leader, the late Theys Eluay, to create a 7,000-member militia group called Satgas Papua (Papua Task Force). Analysts feared the militia group would be used to conduct attacks that could allow the military to justify taking deadly retaliation against locals.

In April 2000, Yorrys was detained as a suspect in the July 27, 1996, government-sponsored attack on the Jakarta headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). Several people were killed in the attack that sparked massive riots. Yorrys was released in May 2000, ostensibly due to insufficient evidence and never taken to court. In December 2001, police said Suharto’s youngest son Hutomo ‘Tommy’ Mandala Putra had complained to investigators that Yorrys had reneged on a promise to safeguard him while he was wanted for murder, despite having been paid $5 million. Pemuda Pancasila denied the allegation, claiming Yorrys had never accepted any money from Tommy while he was a fugitive.


BACKGROUND

Yorrys Raweyai, a Jakarta resident born in Serui. His father, an ethnic Chinese merchant from Ujung Pandang, was considered a hero of the Indonesian cause because during the Dutch era he smuggled letters from pro-Indonesian Papuans aboard ships carrying his goods to Jakarta. Yorrys moved to Jakarta in the 1970s; a leader of the notorious, often violent, pro-government youth group Pemuda Pancasila, he became close to New Order political figures and eventually to members of the Soeharto family ... Yorrys continues to be a controversial figure. Because of his wealth and political connections he yields considerable influence in Papuan circles, as elsewhere in Indonesia, and is the leader of the traditional council for the Papuan community in Jakarta. The richest member of the Team of 100, he financed a welcoming ceremony for them at the airport in Jakarta and a press conference at the team's hotel following the meeting with Habibie on February 26, 1999. - Human Rights Watch, 2000

Interview with Papua Governor Jaap Solossa

Papua Governor Jaap Solossa talked with Ridwan Max Sijabat of The Jakarta Post after leading a Papuan delegation to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss the situation in Indonesia's most eastern province.

Question: Would you like to summarize your delegation's meeting with the President?"

Answer: The President and our delegation were of the same opinion that the special autonomy regulated by Law No. 21/2001 is the main pillar of a grand strategy to seek a comprehensive solution to the complex Papua issue.

The President promised to make a fundamental decision to prove his strong political commitment to settling the issue through peaceful dialog, and instructed his aides to take concrete measures to enforce the special autonomy law.

He was very glad to meet with us, and shared his intention to fully implement the special autonomy, which was left untouchable during former president Megawati Soekarnoputri's tenure, over the last three years.

Q: Would you like to explain that issue in detail?

A: During the meeting, the President instructed the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs (Widodo A.S.) and home minister (Moh. Ma'ruf) to discuss the draft regulation on the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), and to make the necessary preparations for its establishment. The implementation was delayed because it was feared that it could pave the way for the province to separate from Indonesia in the future.

The establishment of the MRP has been included in the President's first 100-day program, and he pledged that the MRP's establishment would be his "Christmas gift" to the Papuan people.

The President also promised to set up a Papua desk at the Presidential Office to deal with Papua matters. The special desk, led by the President and consisting of Papuan figures, military officials and politicians would mainly be tasked with preparing necessary policies and development programs in Papua.

Q: What is your comment on the controversial draft regulation on the MRP?

A: It is not really controversial because it is based on the special autonomy law. And what makes Papua special, unique and different from other provinces is the MRP, which according to the law is the highest decision-making institution, representing all components in the province.

Megawati and her former government declined to approve it, and to set up the long-awaited MRP, because they feared that the institution would be used to assist the province's separation from Indonesia.

But, if Acehnese people are allowed to adopt the sharia according to Islam, why aren't we allowed to do the same thing? (The majority of Papuans are Christians.)

Q: How is the planned formation of the two new provinces progressing?

A: The President has agreed to review the controversial Presidential Instruction, No. 1/2003, which was issued to enforce Law No. 45/1999 on the development of North Maluku, West and Central Irian Jaya provinces, which is no longer effective since it is against the special autonomy law.

Papuan people are not against any idea to form four or five more provinces in Papua, which is 3.5 times the size of Java Island. However it should gain approval from the MRP.

The Papuan provincial legislature has filed a law suit against the presidential instruction, and the Constitutional Court is scheduled to make a decision on the case on November 11.

The Higher Administrative Court has annulled Presidential Decree No. 10/2003 on the extension of Octavianus Abram Atururi's one- year period as acting governor of West Irian Jaya.

Q: What other issues are most urgent in Papua?

A: Illegal logging, illegal fishing and HIV/AIDS. And the three issues correlate with one another.

Illegal logging and illegal fishing activities have been rampant in the province because the region is out of the close supervision of the public in Jakarta. The looting of Papua's rich resources involves timber and fishing companies from Malaysia and Thailand. They are backed by security personnel from local Navy units and police offices.

Timber barons have paid police personnel to back the illegal logging activities, which have involved local loggers. It is also common for them to offer sex workers from Java as presents for local informal leaders, to keep their mouths closed. The timber barons also bribed local Navy units to escort their log vessels out of the province.

The number of people living with HIV/AIDS has reached around 15,000 at present, and most of them are living in the southern part of the province, particularly in Mimika and Merauke regencies, where illegal logging and fishing activities have been rampant.

Q: What are you doing to address these serious problems?

A: During the meeting with the President, we asked the government to lift the joint decree issued by the forestry minister, fisheries and maritime affairs minister, the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander and the National Police chief, concerning the supervision of forest and maritime resources (wanalaga and wanabahari) in the province.

Corrupt officials of the National Police and the Navy in the province abused their power and manipulated the joint decree to loot the province's resources.

Most Papuan people are no longer sympathetic toward the security authorities because many innocent people have been shot in military operations and their resources looted.

The provincial government will intensify the anti-HIV/AIDS campaign among youths and school students aged between ten years and 18 years to curb the spread of the virus.