PAPUAN CIVIL SOCIETY DISCUSSES SPECIAL AUTONOMY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 002065 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, EAP/ANP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM EAID ID SUBJECT: PAPUAN CIVIL SOCIETY DISCUSSES SPECIAL AUTONOMY REF: A. JAKARTA 1925 ¶B. JAKARTA 1339 JAKARTA 00002065 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: A recent USAID-supported study of Papuan civil society demonstrates that opinion remains divided on the Special Autonomy Law. Papuan interlocutors agree that the GOI has not done an effective job implementing the law and that Papuans have yet to see the full benefits of Special Autonomy. For its part, the central government remains publicly committed to full implementation of the law. END SUMMARY ¶3. (SBU) IMPLEMENTATION LAGGING: Although enacted six years ago, implementation of Papua's Special Autonomy Law has lagged. The GOI has yet to issue the regulations or create the institutions necessary to devolve powers from the central to the provincial government, as provided for in the Special Autonomy law. We understand that in June President Yudhoyono issued his Presidential Instruction on the Acceleration of Development in Papua, designed to advance implementation of the law. This "New Deal for Papua" was delayed earlier this year when the two Papuan governments requested changes in the draft. Also unresolved is the relationship between Special Autonomy and the legally questionable creation of two separate provinces: Papua and West Papua (Ref B). This has led to some discussion of revisions to the law. ¶4. (SBU) LISTENING TO PAPUAN VIEWS: With support from USAID's Democratic Reform Support Program, the civil society umbrella organization Pokja Papua recently examined Papuan attitudes toward Special Autonomy. From November 2006 through January 2007, Pokja Papua conducted interviews and focus group discussions with a cross section of Papuan stakeholders and presented their findings at a July 27 seminar in Jakarta. (Note: Because of GOI sensitivities concerning Pokja Papua, USAID did not widely publicize its support of this project.) ¶5. (SBU) IMPLEMENT, DON'T REVISE: While there was no clear consensus among Papuan government, religious, NGO and traditional leaders regarding the Special Autonomy Law and its application, there was agreement on a number of key points. Papuans are unsatisfied with the incomplete implementation of Special Autonomy and divided on any potential revisions to the law. Many Papuans point to a lack of political will on the part of Jakarta policy-makers, rather than problems with the legislation, as the reason implementation has stalled. Papuan suspicion of Jakarta's motives is increasing, largely because of what they see as a lack of transparency in the implementation process and a lack of communication between the central government, especially the Ministry of Home Affairs, and Papuan leaders. Persistent rumors that the central government plans to revise the Special Autonomy Law only serve to exacerbate these suspicions. Papuan leaders warn that revision of the law without an assessment of weaknesses in the current law and wide-ranging public consultation in Papua would generate greater tension between Papua and Jakarta. Most of Pokja Papua's interlocutors stressed that delivering on the economic promises of Special Autonomy, especially improving the standard of living in Papua, remains central to securing widespread support in the province. ¶6. (SBU) RECENT SEMINAR: Pokja Papua's July 27 seminar provided a forum for Jakarta-based Papua watchers to comment on Special Autonomy. Chairman of the Regional Representative Council's Special Committee on Papua Edwin Kawilarang called for the law's revision. He emphasized the need to accommodate the division of Papua in the Special Autonomy framework and called for the creation of a commission on Papua responsible to the President to manage the implementation process. Ferry Mursyidan Baldan, a Golkar parliamentarian and key legislative player on both Aceh and Papua autonomy laws, dismissed the call for revisions. He acknowledged that implementation remained incomplete but stressed that the law should be implemented as written. JAKARTA 00002065 002.2 OF 002 ¶7. (SBU) MORE WORK NEEDED BY GOI: As emerged during CODEL Faleomavaega's recent visit (Ref A),Papuans broadly agree that the autonomy law needs to be fully implemented. There is a significant degree of exasperation that the law has not been fully implemented, which continues to undermine the GOI's credibility in Papua. For its part, the central government remains publicly committed to full implementation of the law. HUME