PAPUA -- SOME DISCONTENT IN ADVANCE OF SENSITIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L JAKARTA 001900 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EAP/ANP NSC FOR D.WALTON E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/17/2019 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ID SUBJECT: PAPUA -- SOME DISCONTENT IN ADVANCE OF SENSITIVE DATE REF: A. JAKARTA 1638 ¶B. 2008 JAKARTA 1562 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4 (b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During a recent rally in provincial capital Jayapura, Papuan activists raised the "Morning Star" flag--which the GOI has banned as a separatist symbol. Police are questioning those involved, but have not yet brought any charges (a handful of activists have been arrested and jailed for waving the flag in the past). Incidents like the recent Jayapura rally reflect continuing discontent among some Papuans toward Jakarta. Protests are likely to ratchet up somewhat in the weeks leading up to December 1--an important date for Papuan activists. END SUMMARY. FLAG RAISING IN PAPUA ¶2. (SBU) Activists caused a stir by raising the banned Morning Star flag during a November 16 demonstration in eastern Indonesia's Papua Province. The incident took place in front of the legislative building in the provincial capital Jayapura. Speakers at the peaceful rally charged that the Indonesian government has failed to implement Papua's Special Autonomy law--a broad measure that devolves responsibility for many areas of governance to the provincial government. Some activists called for independence. The police dispersed the crowd without incident and took several people into custody for questioning. Police officials explained that the organizers of the rally had not obtained a permit but they have not yet charged anyone. ¶3. (C) Raising the Morning Star flag has become a way for some Papuans to voice their discontent at what they perceive as the region's political and economic marginalization. While Indonesian laws--including the Papuan Special Autonomy Law--allow the use of regional symbols, they prohibit the use of symbols associated with separatism and illegal organizations. Some Indonesian officials charge that the flag is the symbol of the Free Papua Movement (OPM),which the GOI has banned as a separatist group. However, many Papuans assert that the flag is a cultural symbol that predated OPM's founding and the GOI should not have banned it. OTHER ISSUES RANKLE ¶4. (SBU) Other issues continue to rankle Papuan activists. One tender spot concerns the August 8, 2008, killing of Opinus Tabuni during a rally in the central highland town of Wamena. Activists also raised the Morning Star flag at that rally. Unknown assailants gunned down Tabuni during an event marking the UN International Day of the World's Indigenous People. Many Papuans have charged the military or police with responsibility for the shooting. While police have investigated the case, they have not charged anyone with the shooting. Human rights groups have vowed to organize rallies and undertake other measures to pressure the government to charge someone in the case. An Army spokesman told reporters that the military would not interfere in the investigation and pledged that any military personnel who may have been ere involve would held accountable according to the law. KEY DATE LOOMS ¶5. (C) Demonstrations and flag raising incidents are likely to continue in the weeks leading up to December 1--the date in 1961 that Dutch colonial authorities began allowing Papuans to use symbols of sovereignty like the Morning Star flag. (Note: The Netherlands transferred effective control of the region to Indonesia in 1963.) However, the Yudhoyono administration has promised to give the region special attention during its second term, which began on October 20. Given what they regard as a long string of broken promises, many Papuans are likely to be skeptical until that effort shows some concrete results. HUME