Jayapura – A student activist said Wednesday the establishment of autonomous regencies and provinces in Papua is designed to serve the interests of the political elite, and will lead to more corruption.

"Autonomous regions will only enrich a certain group of people and allow for greater corruption," the head of the Indonesian Central Papua Highland Alliance, Markus Haluk, told a crowd of 200 students at the Papua gubernatorial office.

According to Markus, the political elite and government officials are the ones who favor the creation of more autonomous regions.

"Some push for the creation of an autonomous region after losing elections, some after being denied government positions and others because their terms in office are about to end. There are also those people who eye the natural wealth of an area and work together with investors to fund campaigns for an autonomous region, as well as those involved in corruption who are trying to run away by forming an autonomous regency," said Markus.

He added that the creation of autonomous regions would also lead to human rights violations and environmental destruction by investors exploiting an area's natural wealth.

Six areas in Papua have so far petitioned the central government for autonomous status.