Ridwan Max Sijabat, Jakarta – A group of Papuan public figures has called on the government to restart discussions on the establishment of Central Papua province in order to speed up development programs and address poverty in the region.

"We are coming to Jakarta to ask the government and the House of Representatives to re-deliberate the establishment of Central Papua province, whose establishment, along with that of West Papua province and several other new regencies, was stipulated in Law No. 45/1999," the chairman of the Team for the Reactivation of Central Papua Province, Norbert Mote, said in a meeting with the House's Commission II on home affairs here Wednesday.

Norbert said the team had lobbied the Home Ministry and prepared facilities and infrastructure, including land and buildings in Nabire, which they want to be the capital of the province.

He said the 2003 Constitutional Court verdict endorsing West Papua province and neglecting Central Papua was regrettable.

Central Papua lacked an effective government at the time, he said. "From all economic, political and territorial perspectives, Central Papua is feasible for development into a new province and it looks unfair if only the existence of West Papua province is accepted," he said.

Besides West Papua and Central Papua, the Papuan people have also proposed the establishment of South Papua and Southeast Papua provinces under the 2001 Special Autonomy Law to speed up economic and social development programs in the country's easternmost region.

Meanwhile, commission chairman E.E. Mangindaan said the commission understood the Papuan people's demands and would discuss them with newly appointed Home Minister Mardiyanto.

"We will discuss this matter with the home minister... and what the Papuan people demand is acceptable in line with the increasing calls for the division of Papua into several new provinces," he said.