By: Rebecca Marian) *
61 Papuan and West Papua figures come to the State Palace to meet with the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo on September 10, 2019. The 61 figures consist of traditional, religious, tribal leaders, activists to academics. This meeting was a concrete attempt by the Government to absorb the people’s aspirations and bring about peace after the riots in Papua.
Arriving at 11:00 at the State Palace, Jokowi immediately greeted the leaders from Papua and West Papua one by one.
Tens of figures who came were compact wearing tassel caps. Likewise the ministers who accompanied Jokowi. Meanwhile the former Governor of DKI Jakarta is wearing a white shirt.
During the meeting, President Jokowi was also accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political Law and Human Rights Wiranto, Head of the State Intelligence Agency Budi Gunawan, Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, and Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi. Also attending was the President’s special staff for Papua Lenis Kogoya.
The presence of the ministers at the meeting is certainly proof that the government is ready to work together in dealing with the problems that exist in Papua. The event was opened by the Head of the National Intelligence Agency Budi Gunawan. In his remarks he hoped that through this meeting the leaders of Papua and West Papua could express their aspirations directly to Jokowi to advance and realize prosperity in the Land of Papua.
Then, Budi Gunawan invited a Papuan figure named Abisai Rolio to express his aspirations. President Jokowi looks serious listening to the aspirations of the Papuan figure. Abisai Rolio also asked Jokowi several things. Starting from asking for the expansion in 5 provinces in Papua and West Papua to build a presidential palace in Cenderawasih Earth. Then they also requested the placement of echelon 1 and echelon 2 officials in the ministry and TPMK.
They also said that the government should establish archipelago hostels throughout the city, and guarantee students in Papua. Not only that, they also proposed that the government could revise the Consensus Law in the National Legislation Program in 2020. Then they requested that the government issue an instruction for the appointment of ASN in Papua.
Finally they also requested that Jokowi be able to build a palace in Papua. Not only in Kalimantan, the Papuan people asked Jokowi to have an office there. From this request Jokowi said he would intend to grant the request submitted by the Papuan figure, one of which was to build a Presidential palace on the island. The former Surakarta mayor said, starting next year the Presidential Palace in Papua will be built.
Abisai also said that he donated his 10 hectare land so that Jokowi could build a presidential palace and could be built in 5 years. Giving is certainly a form of love for the country that should be appreciated. According to Jokowi, the granting of the land could help him to immediately start building the Presidential Palace, because the land problem was a serious problem.
However, Jokowi said that his party agreed with the proposed expansion, only he did not directly obey the division of the 5 provinces. It is likely that the government will grant the expansion of 2 or 3 provinces in advance. In addition, Jokowi also approved the development of the Nusantara Dormitory in all study cities and was willing to guarantee the security of Papuan students. He also promised to complete a request related to the Palapa Ring at the end of this year, so that Papuans can enjoy communication like in Java.
Related to the establishment of traditional institutions for Papuan women and girls. Jokowi said that this could accelerate the protection of girls. In the beginning of the meeting, Jokowi began his remarks by showing that he had been to Papua 12 times in the last 5 years. Of course President Jokowi’s visit to Papua is one of the principles of “blusukan” which he often did since he was still the Mayor of Surakarta.
The meeting at least showed the political elite that the Jokowi government needs to get support to solve problems and continue to carry out development in Papua. This dialogue approach is certainly deemed necessary so that the Government will increasingly understand what is actually expected by the people of Papua in general. With this dialogue, the possibility of chaos can be muted.
) * The writer is a Papuan student, living in Jakarta