Jakarta – Human rights watchdog Imparsial has criticized President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his slow response to the Papua conflict, highlighted by the fact he has yet to install a development acceleration unit chief.

Imparsial said Lt. Gen. Bambang Dharmono had not yet been installed as Papua and West Papua development acceleration unit chief, despite his appointment already having been regulated in presidential decrees.

"I am concerned that this problem will linger on without a solution," Imparsial executive director Imparsial Poengky Indarti said Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.

Poengky explained that despite the issuance of presidential decrees No. 66/2011 and No. 154/2011 stipulating Dharmono's appointment, the military official could not start work before he was officially installed by the President.

She said that the President's sluggishness on the matter was an indication of his lack of commitment in efforts to handle the conflict in Papua, at a time when leadership is in dire need to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

Poengky said Imparsial, along with the people of Papua, had placed their hopes on the development acceleration unit to support the community in efforts to overcome the conflicts, by holding dialogues in the interests of the region's development.

Bambang Dharmono gained regional development experience when he helped rebuild a conflict-torn Aceh after the Helsinki peace pact.