West Papua No.1 News Portal | Jubi
Jakarta, Jubi – Jakarta Police arrested on Wednesday protesters who rejected special autonomy (otsus) law in Papua provinces before they rallied in front of the House of Representatives in Jakarta.
The arrest happened at the protesters meeting point. “Before we held the protest, we gathered at a meeting point at the House of Representatives compound. The police did not tell us anything, they just took the protesters to Jakarta Police,” said Ambrosisus Mulait as quoted by CNN Indonesia.
Mulait said the protesters who came at the meeting point later after their friends were arrested would continue with their plan to protest at the House compound.
The House is deliberating the continuation of the otsus fund, which slated to end this year, after 20 years of disbursement. The deliberation would decide whether Jakarta would give more funds for otsus or not.
The protesters, Mulait said, planned to walk from the House to the presidential palace to protest.
Entering the 20th year of special autonomy status in Papua, debates surrounding whether it was successful or a failure ensued, along with public protests against the continuation of the status.
Those who reject the status said the special autonomy or otsus was only Jakarta’s way to control Papua and West Papua provinces. Jakarta officials often cite otsus as a proof that the central government had done the right thing to bring peace and prosperity to the provinces.
