Jayapura – Just four days before President Megawati Soekarnoputri is due in Irian Jaya's provincial capital of Jayapura to hand over the much-awaited Autonomy Law to Papuan elders, students in the country's easternmost province are already intensifying their protests rejecting the proposed wide-ranging autonomy.

Over 500 students from Jayapura-based state-run Cendrawasih University staged a rally in front of the Irian Jaya Legislative Council building on Tuesday, demanding a referendum instead of a special autonomy status for the province. The students also threatened to continue protesting at the heavily-guarded DPRD building until the government accommodates their aspiration.

Last week, hundreds of students from University of Cendrawasih occupied the office of Irian Jaya Governor Jaap Salossa, urging the governor to reject the special autonomy offer and calling for a thorough investigation into the alleged murder of independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay and human rights abusesin the province.

Jaap told last week's protesters that the special autonomy law was drafted by Papua figures including academics and religious leaders and is aimed at improving the welfare oflocals.

Megawati is scheduled to visit the troubled province on Saturday to formally hand over the Autonomy Law to Papuan elders, marking the beginning of the implementation of Special Autonomy Status for the troubled province.

Under the Autonomy Law, which was endorsed by members of the House of Representatives (DPR) in October to appease Papuans seeking independence, the province's name will be changed from Irian Jaya to Papua as long demanded by pro-independence leaders.It will also be allowed to fly its own flag and have its own anthem.

On top of that, the province will keep up to 80 percent of earnings from natural resources, while receiving Rp 6 trillion (US$600 million) annually from the central government.

Students protesters, however, argued that the proposed autonomy does not accommodate the aspirations of all Papuans in Irian Jaya who want the province to secede from the Unitary State of Indonesia.

They also demanded that the legislative council facilitate a referendum for the province to determine whether its people want to stay with Jakarta or break away.

Irian Jaya DPRD Deputy Speaker Ben Vincen Djeharu told the protesters that the council already delivered similar aspirations to the central government, but has received no response so far.

Meanwhile, religious leaders in Irian Jaya again questioned the slow investigation into the mysterious death of Theys. "Investigation into the case is dragging on, prompting mixed public reactions against the performance of law enforcers," they said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post onTuesday. "Our people's trust on state legal authorities in revealing the truth has reached its lowest level. It does not satisfy the sense of justice for the public."

The statement was signed by Christian and Muslim leaders, including Secretary of Indonesian Papuan Christian Church Rev. Corinus Berotabui, Jayapura Archbishop Mgr Leo Labai Ladiar, chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) of Irian Jaya's chapter Zubeir Hussein, and Dudung of the Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama of the local branch.

Theys, who headed the pro-independence Papua Council Presidium, was abducted by an unidentified group of people as he drove home from a military Heroes' Day celebration hosted by the local unit of Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in Jayapura on November 10.

His body, bearing signs of asphyxiation, was found in his car at the bottom of a ravine the following day. Theys' driver, who escaped and reported his abduction, has subsequently disappeared.

The Muslim and Christian leaders urged President Megawati to endorse an independent commission to probe the suspected murder. "We ask the President to immediately handle They's case carefully, honestly and fairly," the statement said.

The government is currently considering a proposal by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) for a 'National Independent Team' to investigate They's death. Under the proposal the government, military, and police would be part of the team.

Irian Jaya fell under Indonesian control in 1963 after the territory's Dutch colonizers, who named it the Dutch West New Guinea, departed in 1961.The United Nations recognized Indonesia's sovereignty over Irian Jaya in 1969 following a UN-held plebiscite which pro-independence groups say was flawed