Papuans to Elect Governor in August
The Jakarta Post
May 1, 2012
by Rabby Pramudatama
The Home Ministry, the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) and the
Papuan People Council (MRP) have agreed to hold a long awaited
gubernatorial election in Papua on Aug. 14.
“We have agreed on the timetable for the electoral phases, and have
reported it to the Home Ministry,” acting Papua Governor Syamsul Arief
Rivai said on Tuesday.
“The election will be on Aug. 14.”
Syamsul Arief Rivai was sworn in as Papua’s caretaker governor last
July, charged with conducting local elections within the province.
Papuan Legislative Council chairman Ruben Magai said that candidate
registration would run from May 7 to 13, followed by a selection
process from May 14 to 20.
“Papuans want a new governor. We hope the central government will be
in Papua from early May to oversee the process,” he said.
Activists have called on Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi to replace
Syamsul due to his apparent incompetence and failure to schedule
elections.
The Papuan Lawmaker Caucus chairman Paskalis Kossay previously said
that the caucus was disappointed with the acting governor’s
performance since his appointment in July 2011, complaining about the
absence of a fixed schedule for gubernatorial elections.
