5 November 2012Jayapura: Timotius Murib, the chairman of the MRP – Majelis  Rakyat Papua, Papuan People’s Council –  said that the council is keen to have close relations with  all governmental organisations in Papua including the provicial administration, the legislative assembly and other possible partners.

He was speaking on the occasion of the council’s seventh anniversary, on 31 October.

‘I would like to say that these communications are very important. Sitting together with indigenous groups  can achieve a great deal in everyone’s interests, including the indigenous Papuan people, the Papuan community in general and Indonesia as a whole.’

He said that he recognises that collaboration with executive and legislative bodies  is a way for the executive to be made aware of the complaints of the indigenous group, the women’s group and the religious group in the MRP. The MRP had undertaken efforts of this nature with women’s group in 2012, when they advocated  the setting up of women’s groups in the districts of Timika and Keerom.

The religious group in the MRP held meetings and consultations with the department of religion in Papua in order to encourage better relations between the various religions in Papua.and to register the number of religious adherents among the indigenous Papuan people.

Murib said that  this was very important  as part of efforts to provide protection and advancement of the indigenous rights of the indigenous Papuan people among the various religious groups in Papua. But he also acknowledged that there were factors that impeded these efforts because some people believe that the MRP has no authority to get involved in  governmental affairs or in local government agencies.

This approach was regarded by some people as mistaken because it had had a major impact on  the work of the MRP during the recent period.  The person who made this criticism said that such an approach  had had an impact on the work of the MRP in its work to produce special regulations known as Perdasus, as part of the requirements of the special autonomy law (OTSUS) for Papua, including regulations regarding ways to implement its duties, its powers, its rights and its responsibilities.

But another view was also expressed, namely that the MRP  does not have legislative powers but does have the authority to submit ideas to the governor, the DPRP and the chiefs in the districts and municipalities. on matters related the the rights of the indigenous Papuan groups. According to this view, what the MRP had done  was quite correct.

[Translated by TAPOL]