Jayapura, Jubi – Every Papuan has the right to 14 legislative seats reserved for indigenous people, even those who represent the Free Papua Movement, said Orgenes Wanimbo, the Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the Papua Legislative Council.
“The 14 seats do not belong to certain people or a group. Every Papuan has the same right. It’s not only for the customary councils, NGOs or the National Participant Force, those who joined the Free Papua Movement also have the same right, because they are also Papuan citizens and indigenous Papuans,” Wanimbo told on Wednesday (21/1).
According to him, all indigenous Papuans have the same opportunity competing for the 14 seats. He asked them to fight for it, but they certainly must follow the rule. “The Minister of Internal Affairs has sent a Decree on 14 Seats. The selected persons will join the other 55 parliament’s members. So, the total number of parliament’s member would be 69 members. We hope it will be completed at the mid of this year,” he said.
He further said in the next few weeks, the Commission I will conduct a coordination meeting with the government and the Papua People’s Assembly to discuss about the next step after the registration of Perdasus by the government.
“It would include a discussion about the establishment of Special Committee by the Papua Legislative Council. The Special Committee will recruit the Provincial Selection Committee. The result would be submitted to the government for approval,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Commission I, Elvis Tabuni added his commission is only waiting for the registration of Perdasus on 14 seats by the provincial government. He said if it has been completed, the Papua’s Parliament would form a Special Committee to select five candidates of Provincial Selection Committee.
Earlier, the Mamberamo Tabi (Mamta) Customary Council criticized the Perdasus on 14 seats for the indigenous Papuan. They asked the parliament to revise it. The Coordinator of Mamta Territory and Land Tenure Right, Agapus Kere said they wanted a revision because the division of customary areas is not proper.
“Mamta customary area is consisting Mamberamo, Tabi and its surrounding areas, while in the Perdasus, Mamberamo Raya is included in the Saireri customary area. “There is a mistake in dividing the customary areas in the Perdasus on 14 seats,” Agapus Kere told Jubi on last Tuesday (20/1).
He said he didn’t talk about 14 seats only, but the entire customary area. If Mamta customary land is now considered as Saireri, how much size of the Mamta’s land has been grabbed, and how much its natural richness would be lost? Further, he said the Mamberamo Raya Regency actually was part of the Tabi customary area along with Jayapura Municipality, Jayapura Regency, Keerom Regency and Sarmi Regency. (Arjuna Pademme/Rom)
