By: Moses Waker ) *
Papua’s special autonomy, which will be extended in 2021, is strongly supported by the people, because it can spur prosperity . Especially during a pandemic, when the financial situation of many people is greatly reduced. The special autonomy funds will be channeled and used as capital so that Papuans can run their businesses again.
Papua has a privilege in the form of special autonomy, which has been in effect since 2001. Since the autonomy, they may elect leaders (governors, vice governors, mayors and representatives) who are native Papuans. In addition, there is a billions of special autonomy funds to build the Bumi Cendrawasih region. So that they are more advanced and are no longer synonymous with backwardness.
Balthasar Kambuaya, deputy chairman of the Steering Committee for the 2001 Papua Special Autonomy Compilation Team, stated that the autonomy was presented using the people’s welfare approach. The initial aim of the Special Autonomy was to get Papua out of poverty, underdevelopment, discrimination, oppression and fear. In the sense that the people will be more prosperous thanks to the special autonomy funds.
Balthasar continued, Otsus brought big changes to the Papuan people. Apart from getting the authority to lead their own regions, they also get health, education facilities, etc. In the special autonomy volume 1, he feels that this program has succeeded at least 75%. In that sense, the evaluation needs to be done again in order for the otsus volume 2 to be 100% successful.
Special Autonomy volume 2, which starts in 2021, is a very important momentum, because the special autonomy fund has been added to trillions of rupiah. Apart from the budget for the implementation of PON XX Papua, this money is also given in the fields of education, social-community, religion, and especially the economy. The goal is that the people of Papua will benefit more from the special autonomy program.
For the economic sector, Special Autonomy volume 2 can be focused on accelerating the recovery of the Papuan people from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many have had their financial conditions deteriorated due to the effects of the corona storm. This is because they have lost their jobs, their salaries have been cut by 50%, or their products have become lonely because people’s purchasing power has dropped drastically.
The special autonomy fund can also be used to build a special market for mama (the name for women in Papua). So they can sell in a clean place, and they can trade vegetables and earn extra income there. The market is very important so that buyers can immediately transact with mothers in a representative location.
Apart from being used to build markets, mothers also get assistance in the form of capital loans to start selling. With that money, they can wholesale to the wholesale market and use it for transportation costs. So that mothers do not depend on their husbands, or are not confused when their father is laid off by his workplace.
When they sell, they will get an income and the kitchen will still be steaming. So that it is not afraid that the children will cry out of hunger. The loan fund program is implemented so that mothers are enthusiastic about selling. After that they can pay in installments to return the money, and can roll back the money for wholesale again.
Why are the targets of the mothers? Because mother is the pillar of the country. When mothers are proactive in making money, they will try to make their economy prosperous again. So that they no longer languish because of corona.
In this way, the economy in Papua will continue to rise, thanks to the smooth circulation of money in the market. When trading is busy, many will be splashed with sustenance, for example suppliers , retailers, parking attendants, market cleaners, etc. So that they will get money even though they are hit by a pandemic.
Special autonomy funds are very important to accelerate the recovery of the Papuan people, especially in the economic sector. People in Bumi Cendrawasih can get back to their financial condition because they get a loan, and they can learn to trade in order to earn income.
) * The author is a Papuan student living in Bali
