By: Janet Theresia )*
The government continues to improve strategies in developing and advancing Papua. One of these changes is to open a wider dialogue space in order to reach a common decision.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD said, in implementing government policies in Papua, there are often controversy. However, the government will continue to embrace all parties to build discussion and dialogue.
Mahfud said the handling of Papua did require a new approach which had been stated in the Presidential Instruction (Inpres) which later appeared in Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning Papua’s special autonomy. He explained that the new approach that the government will use to maintain stability in Papua is the welfare approach.
This means that the resources owned by the government, be it apparatus, personal, or financial, will be focused on efforts to build the welfare of Papua in a collaborative, comprehensive work.
Mahfud said that he would continue to open up space for dialogue with the Papuan people. Therefore, the government and the leaders will continue to do this. Because so far, said Mahfud, the government has never limited the space for dialogue. Starting from the Regional Military Commander, traditional leaders, academics, religious leaders, to leaders of youth organizations.
Previously, Mahfud proposed that the formation of a new autonomous region (DOB) for Papua could be carried out by considering the acceleration of development and the welfare of the people. And for the national interest and strengthen the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.
Mahfud said that the proposal for the formation of a new autonomous region for Papua could be carried out by considering the acceleration of development and the welfare of the people and society, as well as maintaining a positive image of Indonesia in the eyes of the international community.
This was said by Mahfud MD when discussing the mandate of Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for the Province of Papua. Where in article 76 it is mandated that the formation of new autonomous regions in Papua can be carried out bottom up or top down. He also explained that there were many aspirations that developed in the community for the formation of new autonomous regions in Papua.
Various development program policies in the provinces of Papua and West Papua are aimed at reducing high poverty rates, reducing the cost index and equitable distribution of infrastructure development facilities.
The issuance of Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2020, is one of the latest legal umbrellas in an effort to further accelerate development progress in Papua. In the era of President Jokowi’s administration, his attention to Papua has increased, one of which is the role of Jokowi who continues to increase the development of basic infrastructure to fulfill the needs of Papua. the needs of local Papuan people.
The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) in the 2021 budget year allocates the infrastructure development budget for the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) for Papua Province to reach Rp. 6.12 trillion. Dialogue efforts are indeed considered to be the key to successful development, especially in Papua and West Papua. With dialogue, development in Papua will pay more attention to local wisdom.
Previously, an academic from Cenderawash University, Petrus Bachtiar acknowledged the incessant development of Papua under the leadership of President Joko Widodo. Petrus hopes that the physical development will be accompanied by an increase in human resources.
Meanwhile Deputy V Presidential Chief of Staff Jaleswari Pramowardhani said the development of Papua was a realization of Jokowi’s work program. In one of the Nawacita points, the President said he would build Indonesia from the periphery. Development is also not only a physical matter but also a matter of social justice and civilization. The hope is that social justice development reduces inequality between regions.
On a different occasion, Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin emphasized that the approach of friendship or dialogue in resolving the conflict in Papua is very important to be realized. Ma’ruf does not agree if the central government only builds Papua using a security approach that actually causes destruction. So dialogue is very important. The dialogue approach is expected to touch the community to be more humane socially and of course reduce the potential for horizontal conflicts.
Dialogue efforts are of course expected to be a healthy medium of communication between the government and the community. So that the Papuan people can give their aspirations and the government can also provide development plans in Papua to be discussed later until a decision is found that is agreed upon by the government and the people living in Papua.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bandung