Discourse on Special Autonomy in Papua: The Transition in Traditional Views of Politics and Democracy

Frenky Simanjuntak (Centre for East Indonesian Affairs)

The implementation of special autonomy status in Papua Province has been problematic. It seems that the government is still reluctant to fully recognize this status, even though it has been declared for some years since the ratification of UU No. 21/2001. It is interesting that at the same time it seems the government is rushing its plan to divide the province into smaller provinces. But the cost of this premature policy is high.In the last two of years, two new provinces have been declared in Papua. They are Irian Jaya Barat and Irian Jaya Tengah. Of these two, the declaration of Irian Jaya Tengah Province has resulted in bloody conflict in August 2003 in Timika. Several people are killed when tribal war erupted between people who support the declaration and the ones against it. The declaration of Irian Jaya Barat Province, although it happened peacefully, has still left some potential problems that can generate open conflict if they are not taken cared of properly. It has to be pointed out that the formation of a new province – a new trend in local politics in Indonesia – is actually in contradiction to the spirit of special autonomy.

This transition is not happening only at the government level, but also in the community. People in Papua put high hope in the full implementation of UU No. 21/2001. They also feel the same for the formation of Majelis Rakyat Papua (MRP, Papua’s People Council), one of the consequences of the implementation of the law. The discourse about the full implementation of special autonomy and the formation of the MRP strongly accepted in society. This discourse has slowly started a transition in the traditional point of view, especially in politics and democratization.

This paper will try to explore this discourse developed in several focus group discussions held in Manokwari with a view to developing some recommendations for the newly elected president and his cabinet.