Indonesia's Irian Jaya Marks Independence Anniversary PeacefullyAmid worrying about bloody clashes if the separatists in Indonesia's Irian Jaya province announces independence, the commemoration of the 39th anniversary of the territory's unrecognized independence was held peacefully, Antara news agency reported Friday, December 1.Under tight security control, the ceremony, which began with a mass prayer led by Rev Tonny Infandi, was marked by the hoisting of the separatist movement's Morning Star flag in front of the Cultural Arts Center in Jayapura, capital of Irian Jaya province, but without the reading of any proclamation. Some 1,000 people were attending the ceremony, but separatist leaders including Papua Presidium Council's chairman They Hiyo Eluay, Don Flassy and Thaha Al-Hamid were absent because they have been detained by the police on charges of leading a secessionist movement. Meanwhile, Jayapura has been quiet as people halted their routine activities and public transportation disappeared from the streets while markets and shops stayed closed. Irian Jaya Police Chief Brig. Gen. Sy Wenas said the authorities will adhere to the previous agreement that the Morning Star flag should be lowered at 6 p.m. on Friday and will not be allowed to be hoisted at the Cultural Arts Center building. Calls for independence have escalated in the province in the past two years amid complaints of human rights violations and unfair division of revenues from natural resources. Last month, some separatists in the province planned to announce independence on December 1 during the 39th anniversary of the so-called independence for the territory. The Independence supporters reject the 1969 plebiscite organized by the UN that integrated the former Dutch colony into Indonesia. The plebiscite was conducted based on a 1962 agreement struck in New York between the U.N., Indonesia and the Netherlands. To avoid possible violence, about 6,000 defense and police personnel have been deployed in major cities of Irian Jaya province and on full alert since last week. "All security forces have been ordered to be on maximum alert and not to hesitate to take firm action," Wenas said on Thursday. Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid here Thursday warned that security forces were ready to face any effort made by Irian Jaya and Aceh to secede from Indonesia. "Whoever wants to launch a separatist movement in the country will have to face the state's security forces in line with the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)'s mandate and the constitution," the president said in a nationwide television broadcast Thursday evening. |
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