Special autonomy treading water.

(From The Jakarta Post)

from THE JAKARTA POST -- TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2006 -- PAGE 5 Four years after special autonomy legislation came into effect in Papua, it has been called a failure for not living up to the expectations of the people. Special autonomy has not improved the lives of Papuans, many of whom live in poverty in spite of the funds channeled to regional administrations for the autonomy drive, which total between Rp 1.3 trillion and Rp 1.5 trillion a year

Many Papuans feel alienated as they continue to lack representation in the process of public policy-making on their own soil

It was not until November this year, for example, that the central government established the much-awaited Papuan People's Council (MRP)

The government's commitment to special autonomy has always been questionable, particularly after then president Megawati Soekarnoputri took the …