[Marinir] [TJP] Local elections and Papuan politics

[Yap Hong Gie]

http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20050711.F04

Local elections and Papuan politics
Opinion and Editorial - July 11, 2005
Iwan S. Ardjali, Jakarta

In international studies, the right to self-determination is recognized by
the United Nations Charter, the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, etc.

International norms classify self-determination into external
self-determination and internal self-determination.
External self-determination prevails in colonized countries in which the
people have the rights to choose either to integrate with another country,
to associate with a country or to declare their independence.

It in the case of East Timor (now Timor Leste), the United Nations
recognized it as a decolonized region and Portugal as its administering
power. Therefore, the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET)
conducted the ballot as an act of external self-determination, which brought
about East Timor as an independent country.
On the other hand, internal self-determination prevails in independent
countries in which the people have rights to determine developments in
politics, as well as social and cultural fields, without any external
intervention, such as for local and general elections as well as autonomy
status.

Papua separatist groups and certain NGOs appraise Papua as a colonized
country; therefore, they believe the Papuans a right to practice external
self-determination. They are highlighting the issue through seminars and the
Internet and using up a lot of expenses.
They deny the status of Papua as a province of Indonesia and claim that
Papua has been an independent country since Dec. 1, 1961 after the Dutch
colonial administration promised to establish a local legislature to prepare
the scattered tribal people for statehood.

They also maintain that the Indonesian government failed to conduct a fair
referendum (Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat, also referred to as Pepera), with
just 1,000 hand-picked Papuan representatives voting in 1969.

On the other hand, the Indonesian Government has relied on the result of
Pepera which was held under United Nations auspices from July 14 to
Aug. 2, 1969, and was endorsed by United Nations Resolution No. 2504/1969
stating that West Papua was recognized as a part of Indonesia.

Because a the majority of Papuans participated in the general elections of
2004, this demonstrates that Papuans are becoming involved in internal
referendum as they did the external referendum of Pepera in 1969, which
was recognized and praised by the United Nations as well as international
fora.
It means that Papuans and the international community recognize that Papua
is politically a part of the unitary state of Indonesia.
Thus, the success of the local elections in Papua plays very important role
to reinforce their position as a part of the unitary state of Indonesia.
Papuans have the opportunity to directly choose their own local leaders.

Separatist groups and certain NGOs have also been highlighting that the
government and private sectors drain and abuse Papua's wealth and
environment. In relation to this, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration
has taken action to arrest the perpetrators of environmental abuse in Papua.

This is a courageous measure taken to win the hearts and minds of the
Papuans. Yet, the big question is, how will Jakarta and future local Papuan
leaders be able to maintain the people' trust by bringing them justice?


The writer is a member of Indonesian Council of World Affairs (ICWA).
He can be reached at satriawanmacho at yahoo.com