Prosperous and Protected Papua within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia

By: Sabby Kosay )*
The government has proven to be serious in developing Papua along with the many various development programs in the region. Papua is increasingly prosperous and protected within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
We need to know that de jure, the existence of Papua as part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia is already very strong. Because it has gone through a democratic political process, namely the holding of the People’s Opinion (Pepera) in 1969. At that time the Pepera was implemented under the mandate of the United Nations, the results of the Pepera showed that the majority of the Papuan people chose to become part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
One of the leading witnesses of Pepera’s life is Ramses Ohee as the leader of the Red and White Front. Instead, he said that the true history of Papua has become part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia since the Youth Pledge in 1928.
This was evidenced by the presence of a Papuan figure, Poreu Ohee, who was a member of Ramses Ohee at the youth oath congress in Jakarta in 1928. At that time, Poreu Ohee was present with the capacity as a Papuan youth leader, namely the Head of Sentani Papua Village. His position as the village head of Sentani Papua. His position as Village Head was held by the appointment of the Sultan of Tidore.
This fact, of course, shows and confirms that Papua was already part of the Kingdom in the Archipelago (Tidore) in the period before the independence of the appointment document by Sultan Tidore and his involvement in the Youth Pledge congress. The archive is already in the Jakarta National Archives.
This story can certainly be used as a guide that Papua is indeed worthy of being built for the sake of equitable development. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 9 of 2020 regarding the acceleration of welfare development in Papua and West Papua which was signed in September 2020. This instruction can strengthen the government’s commitment to solving welfare problems in Papua and West Papua.
The differences and diversity that exist in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia must of course make us respect each other and maintain the feelings of the Papuan people in the midst of the tensions that occur in the eastern part of Indonesia.
The series of riots in Papua were actually triggered by the issue of racist speech that offended the feelings of the indigenous Papuan people. The hate speech triggered a long-standing problem felt by the Papuan people that they wanted to separate themselves from Indonesia.
Hate speech is indeed suspected of being a trigger that easily burns the emotions of community groups to cause actions for feelings that lead to the burning of the DPRD building and road blockades.
The motto of Bhineka Tunggal Ika must be implemented evenly. The Papuan people certainly deserve a place in areas outside Papua to contribute to the State, of course, taking into account the capacity of human resources.
In order to Indonesianize Papua equally, it is appropriate that we provide opportunities for those who have the capacity and knowledge to occupy positions that are appropriate for the Papuan people. Do not let ethnic differences create distance between fellow Indonesians.
On a different occasion, Deputy Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Wamendes PDTT) Budi Arie Setiadi said that President Joko Widodo paid great attention to Papua and West Papua.
He conveyed this when he opened the socialization of Permendesa No. 13 of 2020 regarding the priority of using village funds in 2021 at Swiss-Belhotel Sorong in November 2020.
According to him, one of President Jokowi’s concerns in ensuring equal distribution throughout Indonesia is realized through village funds that are specifically allocated in the APBN.
Of course we still remember the bitter experience of the loss of the province of East Timor which is now the State of Timor Leste. Even though at that time the Indonesian government had sent the young generation of East Timor to well-known universities in Indonesia to study, but because they failed to build an emotional bond, they finally switched their views to the referendum held during the presidency of BJ Habibie.
In that context, we should also understand that developing Papua is in addition to building physically and human resources (HR). One of the proofs that Papua is the biological child of the Republic of Indonesia is Bung Karno’s opening sentence where in almost every speech by Ir Soekarno which is broadcast through RRI, the sentence from Sabang to Merauke is very often echoed as proof of the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.
Papua can prosper, Papua needs the role of the government to rise up and be able to provide many jobs for the Papuan people.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta