So, the special autonomy status is already final. Any shortcomings would be evaluated through the Papua and West Papua Development Acceleration Unit. There is an evaluation because the fund flows to Papua is huge,"
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Chief security minister Djoko Suyanto said that West Papua remains part of the Unitary State of Indonesia while the special autonomy status for Papua was something final.

So "any party proclaiming a new state, a new cabinet, a new president, a new government must be dealt with according to the law," he said in a conversation with ANTARA here on Thursday evening.

The coordinating minister for political, security and law affairs said "everything has been dealt with according to the law. The police have acted according to the existing law."

He said the government had taken a welfare approach for Papua by giving it special autonomy status.

"So, the special autonomy status is already final. Any shortcomings would be evaluated through the Papua and West Papua Development Acceleration Unit. There is an evaluation because the fund flows to Papua is huge," he said.

The Papua regional police are still chasing the chairman of the committee for the Papua People`s Congress that ended in chaos on Wednesday (October 19).

"Because he fled we will catch him to be held responsible," head of public relations of the Papua regional police command, Wachyono said.

He said in an effort to arrest Selpius Obi the police are now conducting an investigation. Several witnesses who attended the meeting have also been questioned.

"We are still questioning witnesses to know where he went and others. After that we will conduct an investigation," he said.

Five people have so far been named suspects in connection with the incident. They are considered to have made an attack on the government.

They include the chief of the Papua Traditional Council, Forkorus Yebosembut (earlier named "president" of West Papua), Edison Gladius Waromi from the West Papua National Authority (named West Papua "prime minister"), August Makbrawen Sananay Kraar, Dominikus Sirabut, a human rights activist in Papua, and Gar Wenda.

Around 5,000 people attended the 3rd congress from various regions, which is the continuation of the second congress in 2000. The meeting was opened by Forkorus Yebosembut. The meeting ended in chaos after the police dispersed it on Wednesday evening. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011