Jayapura – After announcing the creation of Partai Kebangkitan Rakyat Papua (Papuan People's Awakening Party) on 8 March 2007 as a local political party, steps are being taken to complete the draft of a constitution and articles of association, to be used until the party holds its first congress.

Chair of the Initiation Team of the PKRP, Yusak Andoto, S. Soc, said steps have already been taken to popularise and lobby for the new party.

This includes the drafting of a notary act, the registration of the party with the local administration (Kesbang Papua), a statement to the provincial government (executive and legislature), to the MRP, Papuan People's Assembly,and to the central government about the decision to set up the party. The next steps are to appoint executive bodies from the regional down to the village levels, to be completed within the next three months, followed by holding a party congress.

'If the regional government fails to take the necessary steps to facilitate the formation of this local party,' said the chair of the initiation committee Yusak Andoto, we shall raise the matter with the central government.

Andanto was accompanied by the secretary of the Initiating Team, Yahya Modouw. He said that after all these stages had been completed, it was hoped that the party would be recognised and welcomed by the people of Papua as a political vehicle for the Papuan people to fight for the basic rights of the Papuan people which until now have been ignored.

'We intend to ensure that the BKRP will participate in the 2009 general elections and that it will be successful. As things stand at present, eleven seats are allocated to Papua, but they are all occupied by national political parties because there are no local parties.And moreover, this is guaranteed under Article 28 of Law 21/2001

He also expressed the hope that the government, in particular the DPRP will be willing to co-operate in speedily drawing up a government regulation on political parties.