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Jakarta bans hoisting of separatist flag in Irian Jaya

Source
Straits Times - October 13, 2000

Devi Asmarani, Jakarta – The Indonesian government, toughening its stance against separatists in Irian Jaya yesterday, officially banned the hoisting of the Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag because it had been "misused to symbolise struggle to secede" from the unitary state.

The move came as police began its crackdown on pro-independence movements in the troubled province, following last week's riots in the remote town of Wamena, Irian Jaya, that killed at least 30 people.

The decision was made in a Cabinet meeting headed by Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri. "The flying of the Bintang Kejora was tolerated before, given that it was not used as a symbol of independence from Indonesia," said Cabinet Secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak. "But in practice, it has been misused for exactly this purpose, therefore we now prohibit it from being hoisted."

The government also warned other similar separatist movements in the country that it would not tolerate any other flags flown as an emblem of separatist cause. In future, only flags with "cultural" significance could be hoisted, Mr Marsilam said.

Last Friday, supporters of the pro-independence Papuan Council clashed with troops in Wamena. Police and soldiers pulled down five separatist flags, angering mobs of people, who then attacked local migrants in the area.

Meanwhile, police in the provincial capital of Jayapura said it would give the separatists one week to pull down all the Bintang Kejora flags in the area. Jayapura Police Chief Superintendent Daud Sihombing said the police would forcibly take down the flags if the group did not heed the order. Those who insisted on flying the flags would be arrested, he added.

Late last year, President Abdurrahman Wahid further revived separatist movements in the province when he said during one of his visits there that he would allow the Bintang Kejora to be hoisted.

Mr Marsilam said yesterday that the Papuan Council had no mandate from the Irianese people to seek independence. Its role is merely to facilitate reconciliation between Jakarta and disgruntled Irianese.

He said the government would also curb the activities of the pro-independence militia, the Papuan Taskforce, to prevent it from being used as a secessionist instrument.

People in the resource-rich Irian Jaya have long resented Jakarta's policy of bringing in settlers from other islands there and dominating the local economy.

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