Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Papuan People’s Assembly under fire ahead of Kulla trip

Posted at 08:35 on 13 February, 2008 UTC

Hundreds of Papuans have been demonstrating for the dissolution of the Papuan People’s Assembly or MRP.

They say failed to protect the rights of the native people of the Indonesian region.

The Jakarta Post reports that demonstrations outside the MRP office in Jayapura come a week out from a planned visit to the city by Indonesia’s Vice President.

Jusuf Kalla’s to the provincial capital is to evaluate the region’s development.

Demonstrators say the MRP is a toothless institution which has done nothing to alleviate Papua’s problems of poverty and human rights abuses.

Meanwhile, MRP chairman Agus Alua responded to the protest by saying the demonstrators wanted the same things for the people as the Assembly.

Agus said the MRP and the demonstrators would meet again to

formulate a list of common concerns and recommendations to be

handed to the Vice President during his visit next week.