Papua’s People Assembly (MRP) Timotius Murib – Jubi
Jayapura, Jubi – Papua People’s Assembly has issued a decree stipulating that only indigenous Papuans are eligible to run as candidates for Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Deputy Regent and Mayor/Deputy Mayor in Papua Province.
The decree states that indigenous Papuans are those whose parents are both members of Papua’s native tribes.
Further, Papua’s People Assembly (MRP) Timotius Murib said non-indigenous Papuans are not eligble to run as candidates for local leader elections under the Decree on the Protection of Constitutional Rights of Indigenous Papuans in the Election of Regional Heads in Papua Province.
He said the decision was made in connection with the task and responsibility of MRP as representative institution of indigenous Papuan to protect the basic rights of indigenous Papuan as stated in Papua Special Autonomy Law.
In this context, Murib said the most important and strategic task and responsibility of MRP is to give a consideration and approval on proposed candidates of Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Deputy Regent, and Mayor/Deputy Mayor in Papua Province. This is in accordance with the article 20 paragraph 10 letter a that said,” MRP has task and responsibility to give consideration and approval towards proposed candidates of governor/vice governor” and article 20 paragrahp 1 letter f that said,” MRP give consideration and approval towards Governor, Papua Legislative Council, Regent/Mayor and Regional Legislative Council in line with the right protection of indigenous Papuan which is included in the article that its responsibility is including to give consideration and approval towards candidates Regent and Mayor.
It is said in term of their task and responsibility against the protection of constitutional right of indigenous Papuan, MRP has determined a Decree MRP No:11/MRP/2015 that provides recommendation to immediately revise the regulation related to Political Party and Election of Regional Head in order to provide guarantee towards indigenous Papuans under the principle of priority as Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Vice Regent, Mayor/Vice Mayor in Papua Province.
Furthermore, it is said in the release that the candidates oblige to immediately coordinate with the Political Party in implementing the article 28 paragraph 4 of the Special Autonomy Law 2001 and adjusted in the Law No.25 2008 in order to give priority to indigenous Papuan in the recruitment of candidates of Governor/Vice Governor, Regent/Deputy Regent and Mayor/Deputy Mayor in Papua Province.
It is further said the government obliges to determine a special policy which put indigenous Papuan as priority in political recruitment of candidates of regional leaders in Papua Province. Meanwhile it recommends the General Election Commission to immediately amend the KPU Regulation No/9/2015 by inserting new clauses including the method and mechanism in providing consideration and approval towards candidate regional leaders in Papua Province. And also propose a stage for MRP to give consideration and approval on candidates.
Meanwhile, eleven regencies of Papua Province will hold the election of regional heads simultaneously in this year, which the stages has been started by May to December 2015. The eleven regencies are Nabire, Keerom, Asmat, Waropen, Merauke, Yahukimo, Bovendigoel, Pegunungan Bintang, Supiori, Mamberamo Raya and Yalimo.
Earlier there are only four regencies will hold the election, but due to the adjustment of Regional Election Regulation which said the regent who will terminate in 2016 should participate in the Election 2015.
Papua’s Election Commissioner, Betty Wanane recently told reporters that KPU Papua has consulted with Central KPU due to nine regents will terminate their assignment in 2016. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party Board of Papua Province is currently verifying 85 applications of regent and deputy regent candidates for the election in eleven regencies.
The Regional Election Desk Chairman of Democratic Party of Papua Province, Arnold Walilo with his deputy Patrik Renyaan told Antara News Agency in Jayapura on Thursday (18/6/2015) that only 37 of 82 applications are completed received while the rest must need to be completed.
“The 45 applications that has not yet received are 13 files from Supiori, 18 files from Nabire, 10 files from Asmat and 4 files from Boven Digoel,” he said. Those applications should be completed until mid-night. “If until the dateline we have not received, it would be eliminated. Because we will verify it after the candidates have registered at Regional Representative Council of Democratic Party of related regencies which run the election,” Walilo said.
He added after verification, the regional election desk would summit the application to the Provincial Representative Council and Regional Advisory Council of Papua Democratic Party. “Those who decided which candidates would represent the party in the simultaneously elections on 9 December are the Chairman of Provincial Regional Council and Regional Advisory Council,” Walilo said. (Dominggus Mampioper/rom)
