By : Timothy Gobay )*
The development of Papua in 2022 has proven to be capable of realizing increased welfare, justice and peace for all people on Earth of Cenderawasih. The government’s strong commitment is by no means a joke in equitable distribution of development throughout Indonesia.
Since three years of administration in the era of President Ri, Joko Widodo and Indonesian Vice President, Ma’ruf Amin, development has continued to be evenly distributed throughout the Republic of Indonesia to remote areas and the 3T (outermost, frontier and lagging) including in Papua. Even the approach to developing Papua uses two models, namely the first is the infrastructure approach and the second is the human resources approach.
It is hoped that the existence of these two approaches will be able to become the basis for development in Cenderawasih Earth to become more sustainable. Regarding this matter, Deputy V for Security and Human Rights (HAM) at the Office of the Presidential Staff (KSP), Jaleswari Pramodhawardani said that the Government is indeed continuing to draw closer and also building a two-way communication pattern with people who are spread all over Papua.
According to him, the most important thing is how there is an increase in the realm of public services and also the fulfillment of people’s rights which are continuously put at the forefront. In fact, on various occasions, President Jokowi himself has always emphasized that the national development paradigm he is currently intensifying is not only centered on the islands of Java and Sumatra, but truly throughout Indonesia.
It is undeniable because since President Jokowi’s administration, the Head of State has indeed had a very strong commitment to continuing to carry out development with an Indonesia-centric value, starting from the Land of Papua. Then regarding the infrastructure approach carried out by the Government of Indonesia itself, it is carried out from the most basic things, namely education to health services.
Therefore, Jaleswari revealed that since the beginning of President Joko Widodo’s administration from his first term to his second period together with Vice President Ma’ruf Amin, this strong commitment has continued to be presented to ensure social justice for all Indonesian people, even for communities in Papua and West Papua.
Deputy V for Human Rights KSP emphasized that the President’s commitment was not just rhetoric, but he did present it directly through a Presidential Instruction (Inpres) regarding the acceleration of the development of the welfare of Papua and West Papua, so that it is not just a commitment, but there is also direct concrete action through the issuance of various kinds of regulations that support this commitment.
Various kinds of regulations that have been regulated in the Presidential Instruction related to development in Papua and West Papua are also included in the national medium-term development plan, which for Papua itself is a national priority program. Furthermore, regarding the second approach, namely the development of human resources (HR) in Cenderawasih Earth is also a very important matter.
Jaleswari added that President Jokowi often said that the government should not only use a security approach, but also take a welfare approach. With this approach, it is possible for indigenous Papuans through affirmative policies to be able to obtain fulfillment of their rights which they may not have optimally obtained so far, including the cultural approach carried out by the Government.
Furthermore, the Government also continues to ensure that human resource development is not only about fulfilling the rights to education, health and so on, but also providing ongoing assistance, including budget allocations which must be ensured to be on target.
Meanwhile, the Senior Researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) also emphasized that the division of Papua is very important because it is a big leap to realize the development of the welfare of the Papuan people equally.
According to Jaleswari, the New Autonomous Region (DOB) of Papua will be able to answer all problems in Cenderawasih Land, including those related to poverty, accelerating health and education development, to efforts to resolve difficulties in accessing public services, both internally and externally.
So far, President Joko Widodo himself along with all his staff and all branches of government have never tired of continuing to fight for the welfare of the people of Papua. With all the policies that have been set by the Government for the development of Papua, the Papuan Indigenous Peoples’ Organization (LMA), Lenis admits that he really supports the existence of a new autonomous region.
He stated that so far, several regions in Papua, such as South Papua, Central Papua and Central Highlands Papua, have long wanted the division of the province. With all the hopes that the community has so far, of course, Lenis stated that the community is very grateful to the Government’s performance so far to continue to prioritize the development of Cenderawasih Earth.
The development of Papua is considered very capable of realizing various changes, starting from increasing welfare, social justice to bringing peace to all people in Papua. The performance of the Government of Indonesia in the era of President Joko Widodo’s leadership deserves to be given the greatest possible appreciation because it not only made a commitment, but actually executed it in the form of a policy and it has been implemented as well as possible.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Gorontalo
