By: Sabby Kosay) *
Jokowi has received representatives of Papuan and West Papuan figures at the State Palace. During the meeting there were a number of requests from the attending representatives, one of which was the development of archipelago dormitories throughout the province and ensuring the safety of Papuan students.
The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Wiranto asked Interior Minister Tjahjo Kumolo to recommend regional leaders to work together in building Nusantara Student dormitories in each region.
This has addressed the recent conflicts in Papua and West Papua due to racism cases experienced by students from Cenderawasih earth in Malang and Surabaya, East Java. With the dormitory of the archipelago it can strengthen the brotherhood of the Indonesian nation.
Wiranto recommended the Minister of Home Affairs to recommend to the Governor that later the regional head be a joint venture to build the archipelago dormitory.
He cited the Governor of West Kalimantan, Papua and other regions as part of building a dormitory. With a dormitory that accommodates students from all over the country, according to him, no party will feel differentiated. So that no one feels the most exclusive.
In response, the Provincial Government of East Java expressed its seriousness to build an Indonesian boarding house in Surabaya. Costs prepared reached Rp 37 billion.
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the Rp 37 billion budget had already been contained in the general policy of the Provisional Budget Priority Ceiling (KUA-PPAS).
The plan itself emerged after the siege took place at the Papuan Student Dormitory in Surabaya in mid-August.
Khofifah said that the company had also prepared a 1.5 hectare land in Siwalankerto, Surabaya. Precisely, it is located behind the Regional Personnel Agency Office (BKD).
The reason for the plan to build the Nusantara Student dormitory is to strengthen diversity. The residents of this hostel will be students from various regions mingling and living together.
Khofifah rate, the diversity of Indonesian society is still limited to the outer layer, not substantive. Therefore, he thinks about what if students are prepared by the student dormitory of the archipelago.
The Chairperson of PP Muslimat Nahdlatul Ulama said that the Nusantara Student Dormitory Development Plan had also been discussed with Deputy Governor Emil Elistianto Dardak.
At present, the Provincial Government of East Java is finalizing how many plots or quotas each student from various regions can live in a dormitory.
According to Khofidah, this will invoke our memories of how Jong Java, Jong Celebes, Jong Borneo, where they all pledged themselves to be bound by the commitment that Indonesia is our blood.
According to him the construction of the hostel will be done in three stages. However, Khofifah did not specify in detail the construction of the hostel. Even so he is targeting the construction of a three-story dormitory, with a capacity for 500 people.
Special Staff of the President and Chairman of the Papuan Indigenous Peoples, Lenis Kogoya, previously stated that he supported the breakthrough in the construction of the Nusantara Student Dormitory. Lenis also said that later it would have specialities for students from disadvantaged areas such as Papua.
According to him, if later it is to be built, then the archipelago dormitory must have special criteria prepared and the program must complete the needs in it.
Later in the hostel will also be equipped with scholarships. The children there will also get special techniques such as training and others. The hope is that there will be some kind of non-cash card. So you can take rice, sugar and others, said Lenis.
Lenis also requested that students from Papua do not need to be afraid of studying or studying in East Java.
According to him, the problem between Papuan students and mass organizations in Surabaya and Malang a few days ago was closed and did not need to be extended.
Lenis also stressed that when the racial incident occurred in Surabaya, the police did secure all students in the dormitory to Mapolrestabes, but that night it was immediately released.
The development of the Nusantara dormitory is certainly very necessary, it will be useful for students to get to know each other, and uphold the slogan of Unity in Diversity.
) * The writer is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta