http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2001/December/12-27-11.htm
PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT
Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of
Hawai‘i
REDUCE MILITARY PRESENCE IN PAPUA: EXPERT
JAKARTA, Indonesia (December 26, 2001 - The Jakarta Post/Joyo
Indonesian News/Antara/TAPOL)---President Megawati Sukarnoputri needs to reduce the presence of the military in Papua because it causes local people to live in fear rather than bringing them peace, according to an Australian expert on Indonesia.
Chris Ballard of the Australian National University in Canberra said
the military operations would only continue to worsen local anti-government sentiment and would be detrimental to the
implementation of autonomy in Papua.
"Apart from its function to safeguard the nation's integrity, excessive military operations in a remote area like Irian Jaya cause trauma for local residents," Ballard said in an interview with Antara in Canberra.
Indonesian military operations in certain areas in Irian Jaya explain
why the socio-political problems remain in Papua, Ballard pointed out.
Combat troops roaming the eastern-most province, have been scaring
people, he said. "Such a condition is not conducive for implementation of the
special autonomy," he said, "which is said to be a gift from President
Megawati."
The central government has repeatedly said that the autonomy, which the House of Representatives passed on Oct. 22, will be effective as of Jan. 1, 2002, despite rejection from pro-independence groups.
"The opposition comes from a small bunch of people," Minister of Home
Affairs Hari Sabarno said last week. "The scheme will go on."
Ballard warned that all development programs associated with the new
autonomy would not be effective, and might even aggravate people's antipathy, if the military's oppression is not ended first.
Continuing military operations in Papua only add to the widespread,
pessimistic belief that the autonomy status is something that the Central Government wants to impose to its own ends, against the good of the Papuan people.
In fact, he added, the military is part of the government structure
that is equipped to function most effectively in remote areas like Papua.
"In many cases, the military becomes the only party, which becomes the
field operator of government policies in Papua," he said, adding that it is also Megawati's main source of information about what happens in the territory.
It is the military that has initiated all the dialogue between Jakarta
and Papua, so the central government sees Papua from the military's
perspective on security.
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