30 Oct 2013

Papua Governor rejects two autonomous region proposals

8:14 am on 30 October 2013

The Governor of the Indonesian province of Papua Lukas Enembe has announced his refusal toward two autonomous region proposals from South and Central Papua.

Mr Enembe says the proposals were not properly considered and violated existing procedure needed to be taken.

He told the Jarkata Post that there are procedures that need to be taken in order to be able to propose an autonomous region and it can't just be done to satisfy the interest of certain groups.

The statement was issued at the same time as the House of Representatives statement, mulling over 65 autonomous region proposals throughout the country, including three new provinces in Papua.

The same proposals were also rejected by previous Papua governor Barnabas Suebu.

According to Papua Special Autonomy Law no.21/2001, an autonomous region proposal should be approved by the Papua People Council, the Papua Provincial Council and the governor before it is proposed to the House of Representatives.