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Chronology of Papua's division

Jakarta Post - November 12, 2004

Oct. 4, 1999: Law No. 45/1999 issued to establish West Irian Jaya and Central Irian Jaya provinces, the regencies of Paniai, Mimika and Puncak Jaya, and the Sorong mayoralty. Jan. 1, 2001: Law No. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua enacted, requiring the establishment of the Papua People's Council (MRP) which was authorized to approve candidates for governors and deputy governors proposed by the Papua legislative council (DPRD).

Feb. 10, 2003: Brig. Gen. (Marine) Bram Atururi was inaugurated as the acting governor of West Irian Jaya.

Feb. 11, 2003: Papua's DPRD rejected the government's decision to split Papua into three provinces.

Feb. 13, 2003: The House of Representatives endorsed the government's plan to divide Papua.

Feb. 18, 2003: Some 3,000 Papuan stage a protest demanding the formation of Central Irian Jaya March 1, 2003: The Coalition of Peace-Loving Papuan Women urge the government to approve a draft regulation on the MRP's establishment. March 14, 2003: A special team formed by DPRD Papua urged the central government to delay its plan to split the province into three, pending the establishment of MRP.

Aug. 23, 2003: Establishment of Central Irian Jaya was declared by local elite politicians. It was followed by three days of clashes involving hundreds of people over the creation of the new province. Five people were killed.

Aug. 27, 2003: The central government postponed the division of Papua into three provinces, pending a review of the law on the split.

Nov. 19, 2003: DPRD Papua head Jhon Ibo filed a request for a judicial review against Law No. 45/1999 of the newly established Constitutional Court.

Dec. 16, 2003: About 1,000 Papuans convened to discuss the partition of Papua. They recommended the central government delay the formation of new provinces in Papua, pending the establishment of the MRP.

Nov. 11, 2004: The Constitutional Court annulled Law No. 45/1999 but ruled the establishment of the West Irian Jaya province along with the Paniai, Puncak Jaya and Mimika regencies and the Sorong municipality were legal.