Papua province to spend 45% of budget on villages

Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu has announced that out of the province's Rp 5.3 trillion budget this year, 45 percent, or around Rp 2 trillion, will be used for development purposes in villages. The budget will also take into account the basic needs of residents, including food, health, education, housing, fresh water and infrastructure.

"In total, the funds to be distributed in Papua will reach more than Rp 2 trillion," he told Nethy Dharma Somba of The Jakarta Post in Jayapura. He said the notion of village-based development is in accordance with the spirit of the 2001 law on special autonomy in Papua to improve the welfare of Papuans.

"We should take into account that the special autonomy fund is for the people so it is natural if the biggest share is for development as most Papuans live in villages," he said. Out of Papua's Rp 5.3 trillion budget this year, Rp 3.2 trillion came from special autonomy funds.

Warning on US$11,000 grants to 3,800 villages

The Papua administration, which currently oversees autonomy funds for both Papua and Papua Barat (West Papua) provinces, has been warned to properly manage a directly distributed grant to over 3,800 villages. Papua Govenor Barnabas Suebu announced in February that the 2,700 villages in his province and 1,164 villages in Papua Barat province will each be granted Rp 100 million (about US$11,100) to get them active in specifying their needs and to outline planned development programs, as well as detailing plans for supervising the use of the money.

"There needs to be clear guidelines in place before villages receive the money. And villages need to be taught how to properly use the funds so that the money can benefit all residents," Fadal Alhamid, the secretary of the Majelis Rakyat Papua (the bi-provincial Papuan People's Congress), told The Jakarta Post in Jayapura.

"Distributing the grants without clear guidelines for their use and effective monitoring mechanisms will potentially create conflict because everyone will want a share of the Rp 100 million. We don't want the distribution of this money to create a situation which could negatively impact on the goal of improving people's welfare," he said.

He suggested that the provincial administration recruit qualified village secretaries to oversee the use of this money. These secretaries should be university graduates, he said. "There are many unemployed university graduates in the cities. They could be sent to villages to work as secretaries," he said.

Shopia Maipauw of the Association for Women's Policy Awareness hoped that women's needs will be met. "The percentage of this grant dedicated to women's issues should be made clear. If it isn't, women will continue to be marginalized," she said, adding that is was a concern that women's issues were being ignored in a similar village-based development program that has been in operation in Jayapura for five years. "The money is being controlled by men, so women are not receiving a share to finance their activities," she said.

Papua team to complete autonomy ordinances

The Governor of Papua province, Barnabas Suebu, has ordered the establishment of a joint team to draft provincial and regency and muncipal government ordinances and regulations necessary for the full implementation of special autonomy by the end of the year. Last year, just six local ordinances out of 10 that were proposed ended up being approved. So far this year, only one local ordinance has been approved by the Papua Legislative Assembly.

"It is necessary to have a team really working to complete the regulations. It's been five years since the autonomy law was being issued but it is not backed up by local regulations. A law can only work if there are regulations which control its implementation. The team is expected to work thoroughly, and is expected to finish by the end of this year," Barnabas told reporters in Jayapura as quoted by Nethy Dharma Somba of The Jakarta Post.

Under the plan, the special autonomy team will comprise administration officials, legislators, members of the Papua People's Council and members of the team that drafted the 2001 Papua Special Autonomy Law. He said that since the team had less than a year to complete its work, a special time would have to be set aside to deliberate the draft ordinances.

Papua Legislative Assembly Speaker John Ibo welcomed the statement. "I support the team's formation, which is a breakthrough from the governor. The council will support the team in speeding up the issuance of clear directions for implementing the autonomy law, in the hope that we can reach the goals of autonomy," he said.

Delay request for Special Autonomy Law revision

A forum held at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Central Jakarta requested the Indonesian central government postpone its planned revision of the 2001 Papuan Special Autonomy law. The meeting claimed that six years of special autonomy in Papua had yet to provide opportunities for indigenous Papuans to get involved in managing their own affairs.

"There should be comprehensive evaluation and planning before reaching the conclusion that revision is urgently needed," the Forum chairman Albert Hasibuan said, adding that if revision was truly unavoidable, the revised law should not just look after the needs of political elites.

"If there should really be a revision, the people of Papua, who are represented by the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) and the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) should participate (in its deliberation)," said a member of the Jakarta Community for Papua (Pokja), Frans Maniagasi. "These two bodies represent the people while the two governors (Papua and West Papua) represent the central government," Frans said.

He added that the implementation of special autonomy law was a "mess" since the supporting legal components were yet to be issued. "Many Papuans are against the revision because the provincial bylaw (Perdasi), created by the governor and the DPRP; and the special bylaw (Perdasus) created by the governor, DPRP and MRP are not yet available," he said.

The Forum also asked the central government to conduct feasibility studies before making decisions on the establishment of new regencies in the two provinces.

Legislator Simon Morin, from the Golkar Party in the national House of Representatives, said that special autonomy needed a special instrument "established by the central government to empower special autonomy. People's empowerment is important. Without empowerment and enforcement from the central government to local offices, the special autonomy law will not be effective," Morin said, adding that local governments in Papua should be evaluated closely to deter potential mismanagement, especially in budget allocation becaue "the more you go down to the level of local bureaucracy, the smaller the funding becomes."

A researcher from the Center for Political Studies at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Muridan S. Widjojo, said there was nothing wrong with the special autonomy law. "It's not the law but the implementation of the law. A lot of the funding actually went to activities that would not increase the welfare of the people," he said. "Where are the funding to improve health clinics and schools or to send teachers to remote areas? There is just no data to prove that substantial allocation has happened," he said, as reported by lvin Darlanika Soedarjo of The Jakarta Post.

Eight points of agreement between two provinces

Under the terms of the "One but Two, Two but One" ceremony held by the Governors of Papua and Papua Barat (West Papua) provinces in Manokwari on Tuesday, eight points of agreement were decided for further deliberation in Biak, Papua province, on 31 March.

The follow-up meeting is scheduled to be attended by the Papuan and West Papuan governors, representatives from the provinces' parliaments and the Papuan Peoples' Congress (MRP), 22 regents and mayors from Papua and seven regents and mayors from West Papua, The Jakarta Post reported.

One of the points of agreement is the gathering of inventories for personnel and equipment as well as the documentation of regional revenue, public works, transportation, forestry, agriculture, sea fishing and mining figures.

Another point deals with an agreement by representatives of the two provinces to share special autonomy funds. It was also agreed that all natural resources should be shared by all provinces, regencies and mayoralties throughout Indonesian New Guinea, based on a percentage division between producing and non-producing areas already set out in existing regional regulations.

Others points included an integrated development plan, which covers spatial planning and the development of infrastructure, strategic economic development, social and cultural development and the development of human resources.

Celebrating direct election of 2 Papuan Governors

From Editorial, The Jakarta Post

After four months of waiting, the people of Papua and West Irian Jaya provinces finally saw the leaders they elected back in March take office Monday. Abraham Octavianus Atururi and Rahimin Katjong entered the history books as the first governor and deputy governor of West Irian Jaya. Their inauguration Monday should close the protracted debate over the legality of the province, a debate which colored the gubernatorial election there.

Residents of Papua province also saw the swearing in of Barnabas Suebu and Alex Hasegem as governor and deputy governor, respectively, after a political tug-of-war between Suebu and election loser John Ibo, who is also the speaker of the provincial legislature. Suebu's inauguration also marked a reconciliation between local political elites, whose dispute caused billions of rupiah worth
of development projects to ground to a halt, harming the interests of the people.

And there is more good news for Papua. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to visit the province from Thursday through Sunday, and is expected to come bearing gifts. During his trip, Yudhoyono is expected to announce a presidential instruction on the acceleration of development in the province.

The instruction, which the President calls a new deal for Papua, focuses on health, vocational education, acceleration of basic infrastructure development, food security and affirmative action measures to give more locals the opportunity to hold posts within the administration, the police and military forces. This new deal is being widely seen as a real attempt by the government to resolve the long-standing problems in Papua, following the successful peace process in Aceh.

Wednesday's visit will mark the second time in the past three months Yudhoyono has traveled to Papua, which has been plagued by a low-level separatist movement for almost four decades.

With new, democratically elected leaders in place, the people of Papua and West Irian Jaya, both of which are blessed with abundant natural resources, can now really begin to hope for a better life under their special autonomy status.

Five years since the passage of the law on special autonomy for Papua, a status which also is shared by West Irian Jaya, people in the provinces have yet to truly benefit from their rich natural resources. According to the latest data from the State Ministry for the Development of Disadvantaged Regions, 19 of 20 regencies across Papua were classified in 2005 as underdeveloped.

A famine last year that killed more than 50 people in the province's Yahukimo regency highlighted the paradox of Papua, which has since 2002 received almost Rp 10 trillion in funds from the central government as part of the revenue sharing agreement in the special autonomy law.

Most of the money, however, has been spent on routine expenditures, with a small portion allotted for basic human development such as education and health care. A lack of experience in budget management and institutional incapacity have resulted in Papua wasting much of this money, throwing away the golden opportunity offered by special autonomy.

A series of violent clashes, culminating in the tumultuous rally against gold mining firm PT Freeport Indonesia in mid-March, just a few days after the gubernatorial election, and the choice of 43 Papuans to seek asylum in Australia the previous month, only added insult to injury.

All of these events mirror the chronic problems that remain unaddressed, if not unheeded, and which could haunt Papua and West Irian Jaya's long journey to prosperity. Many observers have said the absence of local participation in decisions made at the central level concerning the provinces is the main reason special autonomy has not worked as originally envisioned.

Renewing the debate over the legitimacy of the decision to divide Papua, or Irian Jaya before 2000, into two provinces is irrelevant, with even those originally opposed to the move now accepting the existence of West Irian Jaya province.

Common challenges now bind Papua and West Irian Jaya. The two provinces face the daunting challenge of honoring and protecting the sociocultural, economic and political rights of locals, who have long been associated with illiteracy, isolation, backwardness and poverty.

The success of native Papuan students in winning prestigious international scientific awards in the past few years is a hint of the vast, largely untapped potential of Papuans.

Under special autonomy, billed as a dignified solution to past disappointments with Jakarta's policies toward Papua, both Papua and West Irian Jaya will have to catch up with developed regions, or perhaps leapfrog them, in the coming 15 years. By that time the central government will have stopped pouring special autonomy funds into the two eastern-most provinces.

Suebu, who served as governor of Irian Jaya between 1988 and 1993, and Atururi, a retired Marine brigadier general, will now be responsible for translating the new deal for Papuans into action.

Papuans yet to benefit from special autonomy

The "special autonomy" status of the two Papuan provinces in Indonesian New Guinea has not brought significant progress to the people because it has failed to address their fundamental needs, a survey suggests. The survey was conducted by National Solidarity for Papua (SNUP) in cooperation with Partnership for Governance Reform in Indonesia. It examined the impact of special autonomy, which began in 2002 in an effort to ease separatist tensions and grant Papuans greater control over their government and the province's resources. The 323 respondents were from different backgrounds and locations across six regencies. They said their welfare has not improved because the local political elite, the bureaucracy and non-governmental organizations are out of touch with the common people.

SNUP executive director Bonar Tigor Naipospos said a sizable portion of the funds granted to Papua to implement autonomy have been spent on things other than essential needs. "Besides the conflicting interests between local people and their elite group, the two resource-rich provinces have spent a lot of money to establish new institutions required by the special autonomy law, on the controversy over the formation of West Irian Jaya province and on local elections," Naipospos said while presenting the survey's results.

Seventy-six percent of respondents said autonomy has yet to strengthen basic services in the areas of health care, education and the economy. This, they said, is closely related to rampant corruption and nepotism among those in power. Forty-six percent of respondents said that the newly-established Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) and political parties had not paid serious attention to
their fundamental problems, and that the increasing number of security personnel did not improve their sense of security. Instead, respondents felt their freedom of expression had been hampered.

Seventy-six percent said the administration at all levels in the two provinces needed reform, and that NGOs should be encouraged to closely monitor the implementation of autonomy in outlying areas.

Naipospos told Ridwan Max Sijabat of The Jakarta Post that the proposed reform of the bureaucracy and the adoption of transparency and accountability have to be carried out by the provinces' newly elected governors. "West Irian Jaya Governor Octavianus Atururi and Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu should start their jobs by reforming the bureaucracy while pressing the MRP to issue the necessary bylaws to implement autonomy," he said. Only two such bylaws have been issued, on health and education, and critics have called them unworkable.

Laode Ida, the deputy chairman of the national upper house, the Regional Representatives Council (DPD), blamed Jakarta for the slow development of autonomy. He said the central government still interferes in Papua's internal affairs. "Jakarta remains suspicious that the local political elite and bureaucracy are sympathetic to the separatist movement," he explained.

He said that the territory has received more than Rp 6 trillion in autonomy funds annually but no significant progress has been made on health, education, transportation and the economy, four sectors given high priority by the law. He called on the two provinces to review all contracts with national and multinational companies to seek greater economic benefits for local development programs.

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.

Papua churches, DPRD oppose Irian Jaya Barat

Influential Papuan church groups and community organizations are supporting the Papuan provincial Legislative Council's opposition to the creation of Irian Jaya Barat province. "I fully support the council's decision because it is considered the bestto avoid any possible conflicts that may arise in Papua over the establishment of West Irian Jaya province," Rev. Herman Saud, chairman of the Papuan Injili Christian Church Synod, told Nethy Dharma Somba of The Jakarta Post in Jayapura. Support against the partitioning of the province also came from local chapters of the Indonesian Christian Students Movement (GMKI), Association of Catholic Students (PMKRI), Indonesian Christian Women's Association (PWKI) and the Cooperation Forum of Non-governmental Organizations (Foker LSM). Representatives Jems Mayor (GMKI), Jens Cherry Meak (PMKRI), Rev. Wanaha (PWKI) and J. Septer Manufandu (Foker LSM) were signatories.

The statement said the public consultation conducted by the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), which was used by the legislative council Friday to oppose the Papuan partition, was legitimate and must be presented to the central government for consideration. Rev. Herman Saud warned it would be a bad precedent if the central government did not heed Article 76 of the 2001 Papua Special Autonomy Law and went ahead with the partition of the province. The article states that any partition of the province must first be approved by the MRP.

During a plenary session Friday, the councillors concluded there was no need to divide Papua at present, and any future divisions would have to be done according to Article 76. West Irian Jaya is already operating as a de facto province. "There may emerge similar partitions in other regions throughout the province without necessarily having gone through the process of approval from the MRP. This will not be good for both the people and the law itself," Herman told The Jakarta Post. "The partitioning of Papua province outside the 2001 law is illegal because the province is regulated under the law. Therefore any decision should be taken in line with the law."

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.