Drs Alua said the MRP is disappointed that the Indonesian security forces is using PP 77/2007 against Papuans demonstrating in the peace rallies. He said the Indonesian government, especially the police, must accept that their own Special Autonomy regime guarantees the fundamental rights and protection of indigenous Papuans.

"We are very disappointed, because we, the MRP, have just returned from discussions in Jakarta with the Hon. Susilo Bambang Yudoyono and the Hon. Vice-President Yusuf Kala about how PP 77/2007 is being utilised in Papua against the people's rights" he said. "The MRP is very worried about PP 77/2007, because it enables Indonesian National forces (police, military and intelligence) to continue their crimes against humanity in Papua" he added with some gravity.

Drs Alua reiterated that if the Indonesian government wants to create regulations like the PP 77/2007, it must be in dialogue and consulation with all indigenous Papuans. But what the government has done is abruptly abrogate indigenous basic rights, including the Papuans right to carry their flag, sing their song, and use images of their crown pigion bird.

The MRP claims the Indonesian government borrowed lots of money from foreign countries to help indigenous Papuans, but has never helped them because the root of the problem is not ‘money' but ‘policy'. MRP delegates explained this very clearly to the President and Vice-president during their meeting in the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on 3 March 2008. They told the two national leaders the MRP rejects the Indonesian Law PP 77/2007, and demanded the government release all Papuans arrested during peace rallies in Manokwari and Jayapura between 3-13 March 2008. (Manokwari is the capital city of the new province of West Papua, and Jayapura is the capital city of the new ‘Papua' province).

"We told the president and vice-present not to classify peace demonstrators as rebels. The government MUST open a peaceful space for specific dialogue about this issue", Dr Alua said.

On 27 February 2008, the MRP formally rejected Indonesian regulation PP 77/2007 (03/PIM-MRP/2008). The MRP explained its decision to Supreme Commander of the Indonesian Military in Papua (Pangdam XVII/Cenderawasih) and to the Head of Police in Papua (Kapolda) Papua during a meeting in Jayapura on 16 February 2008. The MRP also explained its decision to the president and vic-president at the meeting in Jakarta on 3 March 2008.

Drs Alua said that the MRP is the legal institution created by the Indonesian government to hear the voice of indigenous Papuans. It is, therefore, the government's legal obligation to reconsider its attitude to demonstrators arrested during the peace rallies organised by the West Papua National Authority and the Greater Student Executive Council at Manokwari and Jayapura.

The MRP's decision on 28 February was based on:

1(a) the MRP's understanding of the Morning Star flag in terms of Indonesian law;

1(b): the MRP's rejection of Indonesian law PP 77/2007 because it unquestionably annihlates the fundamental rights of the indigenous people of Melanesian Papua.

In attachments to the MRP's decision concerning:

1(a) the majority of indigenous Papuans want freedom and separation from the Republic of Indonesia, with their own sovereign nation-state;

1(b) the indigenous Papua national Morning Star flag, the indigenous Papua national anthem ‘Hai Tanahku Papua/Papua is my homeland' and the indigenous Papua national symbol the crown pigion;

1(c) the hundred-member delegation of indigenous Papuans, representing all Papuans, who met the third Indonesian president at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on 26 Februay 1999, and called for independence. In response to that the MPR in Jakarta, through MPR IV.MPR.1999, created the Special Autonomy for Papua and Aceh (21/2001). This was was designed to break the aspirations for independence held by the majority of indigenous Papuans.

3(b) concerning Special Autonomy law No. 21/2001 which affirms that the identity of the region of Papua is the symbolic culture of indigenous Papuans, not Papuan sovereignty. According to the MRP's understanding of and support for the Special Autonomy law 21/2001 the Papua Morning Star flag is a symbol of the culture of Papua (Point 5). The MRP therefore requests the Indonesian government, in its application of Special Autonomy in Papua, to provide space for peaceful dialogue and to guarantee freedom of speech and expression in the use of the Morning Star flag, the anthem (Hai Tanahku Papua) and the symbolic crown pigion.

Point 6 with reference to Indonesian law PP 77/2007 which contradicts Special Autonomy law No 21/2007. Regulation PP 77/2007 is identical with Indonesian Presidential 1/2003 legislated by President Megawatisukarnoputri to create a new province now called Province of West Papua with its capital city of Manokwari.

Drs Alua also said that the MRP rejects Regulation PP 77/2007 because the central government created it secretly and without the legally required consulations with the MRP and the Papua People's Representative Council. Regulation PP 77/2007 is actually worse than Special Autonomy because it legitimises the annihilation of indigenous Papuans fundamental rights by the Indonesian government, police, military and intelligence organisations.

Drs Alua said that Vice-president Yusuf Kala told the delegation in Jakarta on 3 March 2008 that the Papuans can use their cultural symbols if they change them a bit -;for example, he said, use the white parrot instead of the crown pigion, put a cross on the Morning Star flag, and so on. At same time the President, Susilo Bambang Yudoyono, said it is very important to save Papua, and have peace, and Papuans must use a persuasive approach to bring this about.

MRP Vice-chairman, Mr. Frans Wospakrik, said that cultural symbols are those known and understood by Papuans to be their symbols.

Mrs Hana Hokoyabi, also from the MRP, said that Special Autonomy was meant to have provided indigenous Papuans with a democracratic space. She said she doesn't understand why the Indonesian government, military, police and intelligence are so suspicious of indigenous Papuans. She said the Indonesian authority should accept different ideas, which are a positive contribution to democracy in Indonesia. In this partciular case, she claims the government must open space for peaceful dialogue with Papuans, and try to diminish the gap between indigenous Papuans and the Indonesia authority.

PAPUA NATIONAL TRIBES COUNCIL (DAP) CALLING FOR RELEASE OF PEACE-RALLY PARTICIPANTS

Mr. Forkorus Yaboisembut, Chief Executive of Papua National Tribes Council called on the Indonesian national police to release Papuan students and youths participating in the peace rallies between 3 and 13 March 2008.

"The police must be careful not to classify them as rebels", he told journalists from the local newspaper Cenderawasih Pos after attending at meeting at the States Province Building at DOK V, in Jayapura on Monday 17 March 2008.

Mr. Yaboisembut said participating in peaceful rallies is a basic right enshrined in the Indonesian 1945 Constitution, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, and Article 3 of the United Nations Declaration of Indigenous Rights December 2007, which also enshrines indigenous prople's right to self-determination. He said the rally participants have full rights to call for a referendum, and the police MUST release them from jail.

Mr. Yaboisembut hopes that the government will address the roots of the problem in West Papua seriously, especially with regard to its respect and recognition of indigenous Papuans landrights, forest rights, and their social and political rights to call for independence.

He said all the problems in Papua can be solved if the authorities in Jakarta and in the provinces right down to the regency levels, desire truth, peace, and justice. Like all Papuans he himself wants a sustainable peace and stability in Papua, for the Papuan people and for their flora and fauna, whether as part of the Indonesian state or independent of it.

He said the Papua National Tribes Council calls the Indonesian government to come and sit down with indigenous Papuans, politely, and peace and justice on their mind to solving the roots of the problem, not like they have down since they first occupied the territory. This is so important he said so that the authorities don't catch the wrong people and put them in jail as they have just done. What they are doing now is a real crime against humanity, said Mr. Ferkorus Yabousembut.

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