Stop Sudah English-revised-March2012 - International Center for ...

shown respect for human rights” (considering, point f). This law was passed as an effort to enforce the
basic rights of indigenous Papuans through affirmative action, protection, and empowerment. In particular,
Article 47 states that the government has an obligation to promote, empower, and protect women as well as
men so that there is gender equality. There are four important breakthroughs: 1) the Province of Papua has
authority in all areas of government, except authority in the fields of foreign policy, defense and security,
monetary and fiscal matters, religion, and the judicial system; 2) strategic positions such as governor must
filled by indigenous Papuans; 3) establishment of the MRP with representatives from traditional cultural,
religious, and Papuan women’s groups whose duties include, among others, channeling the aspirations and
complaints of indigenous peoples, religious communities, women, and society in general that relate to the
rights of indigenous Papuans, and facilitate follow-up on settlements; and 4) as much as 70-80% of income
from natural resources in Papua is to be enjoyed in Papua.
However, in reality Law No. 21 of 2001 was not implemented consistently. In January 2003, President
Megawati Sukarnoputri issued a decision to divide Papua into two provinces, an action contrary to the spirit
of Law No. 21 that is based on the unity of indigenous Papuans in one undivided Papua Province. The
inconsistency of the central government caused the people of Papua, together with the Papua Traditional
Council, on August 12, 2005 to “return” Act 21 of 2001 to the Indonesian government through the Papuan
House of Representatives (DPRP) that was marked by delivery of a casket. At the same time, the presence
of security forces along the border and in regions where mining, plantation, and timber industries are
located, stirred up conflict and increased incidents of violence, especially in carrying out security operations
to quell the OPM, that continued to erupt in the era of Special Autonomy in Papua. Thus the Papuan
people made a joke: “there is no Special Autonomy, just an Autonomous Case” (in Indonesian, the word
khusus or special and kasus or case sound similar).
Even with the reforms of the post-New Order era and Papua’s status as a region of Special Autonomy, the
security situation is still not conducive, so that until now security operations continue in various regions of
Papua.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! 8