---------------------------------------------------------- FREE for JOIN Indonesia Daily News Online via EMAIL: go to: http://www.indo-news.com/subscribe.html - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - FREE - Dengan mengClick banner sponsor anda menyumbang Rp. 1000,- untuk HomePage IndoNews. ---------------------------------------------------------- Habibie about Irian: Contemplate again that demand for independence Jakarta, Kompas Online The closed dialogue planned between President BJ Habibie with representatives of the people from Irian Jaya at Merdeka palace on Friday (II/26) was among others colored by the demand for independence. But that demand for independence doesn't reflect the wish of the whole people. It proved among the participants of the dialogue, that there were also who had the opinion that better a wide autonomy should be implemented in Irian Jaya. This was admitted by the State Minister/Secretary Akbar Tandjung after that meeting. According to Tandjung about 100 prominent persons who came from Irian Jaya didn't yet reflect the wish of the whole society. Tandjung admitted, that this meeting gave a special experience for President Habibie. He didn't give further clarifications about the special experience he mentioned. He clarified that there was indeed a demand that Irian would be given independence, separate from the Republic of Indonesia and there were also who wished to be given wide autonomy. Commenting on that, he said, the President asked to contemplate it again. The demand for independence appeared among others in the political statement which was read by Tom Beanal. He is the chief of the Amungme clan who acted as the chairman of the delegation of the society from Irian Jaya. According to some participants of the dialogue, Beanal then passed the political statement to President Habibie. In the political statement which Kompas obtained was among others said "We want independence in a political way, whatever the risk on our shoulders. We ask to return the political independence of December 1, 1961.... We only ask recognition again of that independence, don't demand new independence." According to one of the participants, was on that dialogue also asked that at end March 1999 a transitory government should be formed under protection of the United Nations. Thereafter, about 15 persons would participate in the discussion at that forum and the core of the discussion was among others supporting of what was conveyed by Tom Beanal. A prominent person of the struggle of the Indonesian Republic, Herman Wayoi then described a flashback of 35 years that Irian integrated with the Indonesian people. Further, representing the group of intellectuals, Agus Alue Alua brought forward that the policy of the government for 35 years didn't side with the Papua people. Answering questions of reporters whether they were quite satisfied with the President's answer, Beanal stated that the President needed time to think about what was just conveyed. While Willy Mandowen, Executive Secretary of the Forum for Reconciliation of Irian People (FORERI) had the opinion that the reporters should better ask to the State Minister/Secretary. Habibie's answer According to participants of the dialogue, President Habibie who was sided by a number of ministers, calmly heard the aspirations and answered without text. Habibie admitted that the thoughts, analysis and opinion which was conveyed was honest and pure without engineering. "I'm no robot who can settle various problems automatically, but a common human being who has limitations. What you are asking form,s a very principal matter. At this moment I'm also facing the people of East Timor, Aceh and South Sulawesi. Therefore, let us contemplate it together," Habibie said as was quoted by a participant. Habibie admitted that he was advised not to receive the delegation from Irian Jaya because there would be various problems. "But I decided to receive you all, because that is the duty of a President to hear directly what is felt by his people." he said. "This is a manuscript to answer your presence. But let it be distributed after it has been multiplied. I use this occasion to talk to you from heart to heart," said Habibie. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 5 Mar 1999 jam 10:41:13 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
