Map of Customary Land on West Papua – jerat.org
Jayapura, Jubi – A Papuan councilor accused Jakarta of reneging on its promises to establish regulations to protect indigenous Papuans.
“Papua Legislative Council is constantly talking on such issues to protect indigenous Papuans but it should be executed after consultation between the Legal Bureau and the Ministry of Domestic Affairs in Jakarta,” the Secretary of Commission I of Papua Legislative Council Mathea Mamoyau said on the sidelines of a seminar held by the Student Executive Body of Jayapura Science and Technology University titled “Are Papuans Truly Melanesian?” at USTJ Hall, Abepura, Jayapura on last Saturday (20/6/2015).
Jakarta always rejected any proposal to protect indigenous Papuans.
She said Jakarta failed to acknowledge Papuans as Melanesians in Indonesia.
“The government has always obstructed. Further, talking about the identity of the Papuans always been messed up, not recognized. I am upset but as Indonesian citizen I will keep talking,” said the lady of Kamoro origin, Mimika Regency.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chairman of National West Papua Parliament (PNWP) Romario Yatipai said this rejection is not only happening now. It was occurred since the General Assembly of the Preparation Body of Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI). “In the meeting, Papuans were identified as Melanesian instead of Malay,” he said in Abepura on Sunday (21/6/2015).
Thus, he said it’s very true that the Republic of Indonesia, which is synonymous with the Malay race wasn’t acknowledging Melanesian. It was extremely showed trough a number of human right violations in Papua. “The arrest and murder of Papuan people are unconsciously part of that rejection,” he said. (Mawel Benny/rom)
