ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly examines the latest situation regarding the dynamics of contestation between the Papuan and Jakartan elites in the implementation of the special autonomy policy in Papua. It starts from the efforts of Papuan elites to revise or, more precisely to replace the Special Autonomy Law with the Special Autonomy Plus Law, which unfortunately was rejected by the national elites in Jakarta. Papuan elites then retaliated by not responding to central government’s request to prepare a draft revision of the Special Autonomy Law. This chapter also discusses how development policies in Papua prioritise an economic approach followed by a security approach rather than a political approach that prioritises negotiation. For this economic reason, the national elites in Jakarta have agreed to adopt a terrorist labelling policy that prioritises a security approach to separatist groups in Papua.
