Yogyakarta – Today, Monday 31/10 One hundred Papuan Students who called themselves the Alliance of Papuan Students (AMP) Jogjakarta took part in a long march [in central Java] to protest against the inauguration of MRP members in Papua by the Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.
The demonstration began at 10.15 am (Western Indonesian Time) at the roundabout of UGM (University of Gajah Mada). They walked from Jalan Cik Ditiro, Gramedia, Jl. Mangkubumi, Jl. Malioboro and ended their long march in the junction next to Kantor Pos Besar Jogjakarta (Jogjakarta Main Post Office). During the long march the demonstrators gave talks continuously at various strategic places.
Just like at previous protests, elements of Pro Indonesian Democracy movement such as LMND (Liga Mahasiswa Nasional untuk Demokrasi "National Students League for Democracy") and PRD (Partai Rakyat Demokratik "Democratic People Party") joined in.
These groups were also involved in the demo and gave their supports for the rejection of the election and the inauguration of the members of MRP in Papua today. One of the representatives from LMND said that SBY-KALLA (President Yudhoyono and Vice President Jusuf Kalla) seem to have forced the Papuans to accept their intention; that is to accept West Papua being forced into the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia. He also stated that "We the National Students League for Democracy, fully and permanently support the Papuan people struggle for self-determination (Merdeka/Independence).
In addition, a representative from PRD (Democratic People Party) stated "The MRP is part of the Special Autonomy which has been rejected and returned (to Jakarta) by Papuan People on the 12th of August 2005. At the moment there is confusion in Jakarta and therefore the MRP is like political "candies" being given to the Papuans. Thus, the Papuans must reject it and we stated that we support the rejection of the MRP because we understand that MRP is a new form of recent colonization which will destroy the future of the Papuans."
A representative from the Women group stated that "We Papuan Women clearly reject today's inauguration of MRP by the Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. We gave births to Papuan sons and daughters; however, the number of Papuans from day to day decreases. Where are they? Therefore, Papua must be independent in order to increase the population of the Papuans."
A representative from AMP (Alliance of Papuan Students) stated that Papuan People must be consistent with the rejection of the Special Autonomy (which has been done in August). The (government of) the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia has performed a public form of lying to the Papuans.
Thus, the Papuans must be aware and carefully read the political development. This is crucial for the people in order not to fall from one type of suffering into another type of suffering. According to the AMP representative, Special Autonomy has been returned; Why is MRP forced (to be implemented)?; What is going on? The attitude of the Papuan Students Alliance (AMP) is clearly rejecting all the policies of the unitary state of Indonesia in West Papua; this includes MRP and Special Autonomy.
(The main reason is) because West Papua wants to be independent and has a full sovereignty over its own land".
Blasius Wayne led the demo and along the street the students were shouting and singing while carrying a 1.5 X 3m banner which contained all the demands about the rejection of MRP and Special Autonomy and other political tricks by the Indonesian government in West Papua.
At 12:45 (Western Indonesian Time), the coordinator of the demo read a statement and all protesters were directed to a Papuan student dormitory "Kamasan I" in Jalan Kusumanegara Jogjakarta where they had a closing prayer (to end today's demo).