Jayapura, Jubi – Spokesperson for the Papuan People’s Petition (PRP) Jefri Wenda urges the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) and the Papuan People’s Assembly (MRP) to immediately address people’s aspirations in rejecting the creation of new autonomous regions in Papua (Papua expansion) and Papua’s Special Autonomy.
“We ask the DPRP to hold a plenary meeting and the MRP to hold a hearing to respond to these aspirations,” Wenda told Jubi during a PRP’s protest against Papua expansion and Special Autonomy in Jayapura City on Friday, June 3, 2022.
According to him, the DPRP and the MRP must join the cause and together demand the cancellation of Papua expansion and Law No. 2/2021 on the Second Amendment to Law No. 21/2001 on Papua’s Special Autonomy (Otsus).
Wenda stated his party gave the DPRP a month to take concrete steps in extending the voice and wishes of the Papuan people. If not, the Papuan People’s Petition will again mobilize the people to protest against the expansion of Papua and Otsus.
“The DPRP must seriously convey the aspirations of Papuans to [the central government in] Jakarta. The Papuan people ask for the right to self-determination through a referendum. All these aspirations represent our resistance since February 2022,” he said.
During the protest on Friday, Wenda said the PRP also supported the Papuan people in Dogiyai who reject the plan to build the Dogiyai Police Headquarters. “We demand that all parties respect the wishes of the Dogiyai community [who] reject the construction of the police headquarters,” he said.
Meanwhile, chairman of the DPRP’s Special Group John NR Gobai and member of Commission I Nioluen Kotouki, who met the protesters on Abepura’s Biak Street on Friday afternoon, said they would bring the aspirations of the protesters to their plenary meeting. “There were a number of demands, namely rejecting the New Autonomous Region, revoking Papua’s Special Autonomy, and holding a referendum for Papua,” said Gobai.
Gobai said his party would as well convey the people’s aspirations to the central government in Jakarta. “We have received the previous aspirations of the Papuan people before, discussed and conveyed them to the House of Representatives in Jakarta together with other members of the council,” he said. (*)
