Name Change Of West Irian Jaya To West Papua

Thursday, 26 April 2007, 10:09 am
Press Release: Pacific Media Watch

Indonesia Officially Changes Name Of West Irian Jaya To West Papua

JAYAPURA (RNZI Online/Pacific Media Watch): The Indonesian government has issued a regulation officially renaming West Irian Jaya province as West Papua province.

The Jakarta Post says the public administration office at the Home Ministry, has given the Papua and West Papua provincial administrations one year to conduct a public awareness campaigns on the new name.

It says while publicising the new provincial name, both names can be used until April 18 next year.

The office says the new name, proposed by the residents of West Irian Jaya, is aimed at identifying the social entity and ethnic group of Papua.

The Indonesian government decided several years ago to break Papua province into several smaller provinces - West Papua was the first of these to be established.

The use of the name West Papua has angered some self determination groups which apply that name to all of the Indonesian part of New Guinea island.

ENDS

World Headlines

WORLD > >

U.S. Politics: STOCK Act Passes House - 'Political Intelligence' Omission

The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the STOCK Act today, which omits disclosure requirements for "political intelligence" workers that were included in the version of the bill passed by the Senate last week ( S 2038). More>>

Exhibition - West Papuan Women of Resistance: Dear Friends Of Art And West Papua

You are invited to what is perhaps a unique exhibition featuring women of West Papua in their living response to the suppression of human rights and freedom under Indonesian occupation and military brutality over the past fifty years. More>>

U.S. Politics: David Swanson: The Election We Should Be Following

For progressives and populists around the country who take an interest in Congressional races there are always a few good challengers we might hope to send to Washington. Incumbents, we assume, can take care of themselves. But in Northern Ohio, redistricting ... More>>

Greenpeace: Industry Figures Confirm GM Food Is European Commercial Flop

Annual industry figures to be released on Tuesday are expected to confirm the commercial failure of genetically modified (GM) food in Europe, said Greenpeace. Only around 0.06% of the EU’s agricultural land was used in 2011 to grow GM food, the report ... More>>

Asia: IFJ Press Freedom In China Campaign Bulletin

1. China’s New Clampdown: Press Freedom in China 2011 2. Senior Newspaper Staff Sacked for Reporting Inflation Concerns in China 3. Journalist Attacked in Taiwan 4. Dissident Writer Yu Jie Flees to the United States 5. Writer Li Tei Sentenced ... More>>

Women’s Rights: 2,000 African Communities Abandon Female Genital Mutilation

New York, Feb 6 2012 1:10PM A new United Nations report shows that almost 2,000 communities across Africa abandoned female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) last year, prompting calls for a renewed global push to end this harmful practice once and for all. More>>

Connie Lawn: Newt Gingrich Wins In South Carolina

Former House speaker Newt Gingrich gives his victory speech in Columbia after winning the South Carolina primary with 40% of the vote. Runner-up Mitt Romney pledges to fight for Republican nomination in 'long race', while third-placed Rick Santorum says of Gingrich: 'He kicked butt. I'm proud of him.' Ron Paul finished fourth ... More >>

ALSO:

Gordon Campbell - On Mitt Romney’s victory in Florida
Connie Lawn - Connie Lawn Audio: Florida Primary

Pacific.Scoop: Real Change In Burma No Longer A Pipe Dream – But Don’t Jump The Gun

For a long time, it was easy for us to hold an opinion on Burma. It fitted neatly into the classic dichotomy of good and evil. The regime – made up of cruel, despotic military generals – was bad, and Aung San Suu Kyi and the huddled masses of Burmese people she led were good. More >>

Burma: After Political Prisoner Amnesty, Ethnic Warfare Is Rekindled In North

Even as the Burmese government initiates political reforms in much of the country, it has intensified an ethnic civil war in the resource-rich hills of northern Myanmar, a conflict that at once threatens its warming trend with the United States... More >>