VIVAnews - The long-gone Free Papua Movement (FPM) leader, Nicolaus Jouwe, met Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie on Friday, March 20. The meeting was intended to explain the FPM's stance toward the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).
Jouwe hopes for a new Papua. "We are hoping that the President welcomes our proposal, that is, to establish a Papua authorities, such as one given to Batam," said Jouwe.
He went to say that, "The authority will be the extension of the central government. Therefore, in the future it has the right to evaluate the poor performance of some officials. [The authority] will still be under a minister's control," he said.
The minister added that the meeting resulted in specific and general agreements. The general agreement will focus on education, health, infrastructure, and agriculture. Meanwhile the specific agreement is concerned with road's construction for isolated area, villages and mountains aiming at enabling equal development in Papua.
It is expected that the agreements may bring peace in Papua. "There's an indication that the resistance will end," said Bakrie.
On the other hand, Frans Albert Juku, an OPM figure, said OPM will propose for a fair distribution of Papua's wealth between the central government and Papua.
Jouwe expects to meet the President this weekend. "I will meet Yudhoyono this weekend. On Sunday, I will leave for Papua," he said.
Nicolaus Jouwe (85) was a member of Nieuw Guinea Board, the first parliamentary institution in Papua which was established in 1961. He also designed the Papuan flag, the Morning Star, which is still flewn until today. He returned to Indonesia after 40 years living in the Netherlands.
As the only living old generation of Free Papua Movement, Jouwe is expected to become the mediator between Papua and Jakarta.
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Translated by: Ariyantri E. Tarman
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