Papua Governor Lukas Enembe (Jubi/Alexander Loen)
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua Governor Lukas Enembe asked the Central Government to not approve proposals for regional divisions by those claiming to represent Papuans.
“There’s the Special Autonomy (Otsus) Law in Papua. The Jokowi administration must understand that the authority is in the hands of the Provincial government and regional institutions such as the Papua’s Council, and Papua People’s Assembly. So, the split must have the approval from such regional institutions,” Enembe told reporters in Jayapura City on Sunday (2/11).
Enembe said regional divisions would not benefit indigenous Papuans in the long term. “Today, I said the Otsus funds for Papua is for transit only, because it goes to outside Papua. So it will answer any problems in Papua. For that reason, there would be no more regional divisions in Papua. We have the mechanism, do not talk about splitting regions,” he said.
He also said the provincial government has issued a Governor Regulation on regional administrative divisions. So far, the governor said the Provincial Government has approved 22 new regencies. It was in accordance with the Outsus mechanism and has approved by the Papua’s Parliament and Papua People’s Assembly.
Last week, the Minister of Internal Affairs Thahjo Kumolo announced a Central Government’s plan to divide Papua into four provinces. Besides its extensive territory, the foreign intervention is the main reason for the government to establish two new provinces in Papua. The foreign intervention is not only related to the exploitation of the natural resources, but also its influences into other sectors.
The Director General of Regional Autonomy Djohermansyah Djohan told to Jubi by phone on Saturday the Law No.23/2014 about the Regional Government has been renewed, including the mechanism of the establishment of the New Autonomy Region (DOB).
According to him, the DOB candidate must submit a proposal to the Central Government for the extension. “The door is now only through the Central Government. There are 87 proposals that currently being postponed by the National Parliament. They must propose it towards the Ministry of Internal Affairs if they want the split,” Djohan said.
He added the Law No. 23/2014 about the Regional Government said the proposed DOB is not only submitted through the Provincial Government of the Origin Regency Government, but the Central Government also have the authority to propose the establishment of DOB. (Alexander Loen/Victor Mambor/rom)
