Nethy Dharma Somba – West Papua Governor Abraham O Atururi swore in the new board members of the province's Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) on Wednesday, amid criticism that it violated a consensus that there should be only one assembly in Papua.

The swearing-in ceremony, which was held a week after the election of board members in Manokwari, was attended by 11 of the 33 MRP members elected from West Papua province.

The 33 West Papua MRP members were inaugurated by Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi in April together with 40 members elected from Papua province. The West Papua MRP leaders inaugurated on Wednesday were speaker Vitalis Yumteh and deputy speakers Anike TH Sabami and Zainal Abidin Bay.

The ceremony, which was based on Government Regulation No. 54/2004 on the MRP, which was an elaboration of Law No. 21/2001 and Law No. 35/2008 on Papua's special autonomy, was strongly criticized.

"It's full of political interest from the incumbent [governor]. The fact that no community figures or traditional leaders were invited to the inauguration raises a question as to why it was hidden," South Sorong community figure Dance Bleskadit told The Jakarta Post from Manokwari.

Dance said the same criticism was also expressed by the three other West Papua governor candidates, who questioned the issuance of a decree by the Home Ministry on the installation of West Papua MRP board members. "This could become a time bomb," Dance said.

The election in Jayapura on May 27, 2011, resulted in 75 board members, 42 of which were elected from Papua province and 33 from West Papua.

The elected leaders were speaker Dorkas Ola Dwaramuri and deputy speakers Herman Saud and Timotius Murib. So far, no decree on the inauguration of the board has been issued by the Home Affairs Minister.