Nethy Dharma Somba and Lilian Budianto, Jayapura/Jakarta – Protesters from the Papua Students and Youths National Front (FNMPP) took to the streets again Tuesday demanding the Papua legislative council hold a referendum on the perceived government failure to implement special autonomy.
The protesters, demanding independence for Papua, waved banners with slogans such as "Special autonomy has failed, hold a referendum immediately" and "United Nations, send in your international observers to West Papua".
FNMPP spokesman Marthen Singgu told the media in Jayapura the petition for a referendum was due to people's accumulated disappointment with the implementation of special autonomy, which was intended to improve people's welfare in Papua.
"The government has failed to meet its mandate, in accordance with Law No. 21/2001, to protect and provide basic rights to native Papuans, and to realize the prosperity and the well-being of native Papuans," said Marthen.
Rally coordinator Markus Yenu said Papuan officials never attempted to improve people's welfare, rather they took advantage of their position for personal gain and in the interest of their cronies.
"Jakarta would not have sent large funds to Papua if the Papuans had not fought for independence," he said. "But after the funds were dispersed, only the officials have enjoyed them."
Markus said officials frequently flew back and forth from Jayapura to Jakarta and had turned a blind-eye to people's suffering.
Commission A chairman at the Papua legislature, Jance Kayame, greeted the demonstrators. He said he would convey their message to the House of Representatives in Jakarta. The legislature has no authority to revoke the special autonomy status nor to respond to the demand for a referendum.
"Each institution has their own respective authority. As the issue is under the jurisdiction of the House, we will hand it over to them," he said.
The FNMPP has been staging similar rallies, demanding a referendum, for the past month.
US congressmen Donald M. Payne and Eni Faleomavaega last month sent a letter to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to express disappointment with Indonesia for not making "substantial progress in implementing special autonomy". It said, "We note that the people of Papua... have declared special autonomy a failure".
Eni, who was allowed a brief visit to Papua late last year, has been outspoken about Papua and discourages Washington from increasing its military assistance to Indonesia.
Before any further action to increase military funding, the congressmen threatened in the March 5 letter to send copies of numerous photos and a DVD, taken during Eni's visit, to Congress showing "a pattern of (Indonesian) military misuse of force".
Lawmaker Djoko Susilo of the National Mandate Party (PAN) repudiated the letter Monday, saying it was "arrogant and insulting to Indonesia" and had a "dictating" tone.