18 Dec 2014

Papua powerless against Jakarta

1:45 pm on 18 December 2014

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua secretary-general says the Governors of West Papua and Papua provinces have no political power when it comes to facing Indonesia's government.

Indonesia's Papua region: the provinces of West Papua and Papua

Indonesia's Papua region: the provinces of West Papua and Papua Photo: RNZ

Octo Mote says the two governors' political impotence continues to be evident in the face of moves by figures in Jakarta to create new regencies and provinces out of the existing Papua region.

"Publicly the Papua provincial governor Lucas Enembe is opposing this - publicly in media so many times. But still Jakarta even now is thinking of revoking the special autonomy packages in order for them to force the creation of these new provinces."

Octo Mote says Jakarta is still not consulting enough with Papuans about its plans for their homeland.

He says Indonesian plans to create new provinces are further divide-and-rule tactics for Papua.