By: Abner Wanggai (Papuan Students in Yogyakarta)
The government will extend the Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus) policy volume 2 with close supervision.
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said that related to the plan to extend the Papua Special Autonomy, the government will revise a number of articles in Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua Province.
The implementation of Otsus Papua Volume 2 will be maximized mainly in optimizing the use of Otsus funds. It is hoped that budget fraud will not happen again for the next Otsus.
Since the implementation of the Special Autonomy for Papua and West Papua, the government has disbursed large funds specifically for the development of these areas. The purpose of providing funds is to accelerate economic development in the Papua and West Papua regions as well as to improve the welfare and progress of the community, both in Papua and West Papua Provinces.
The Special Autonomy Fund, which has been rolling out since 2002, is intended to improve the welfare of Indigenous Papuans (OAP), especially in the fields of education and health, while the Additional Infrastructure Fund (DTI) is to support regional infrastructure development.
Therefore, the Papuan people strongly support Otsus Papua Volume 2 because the Papuan people have benefited from the previous Otsus. Among them, mobility has been made easier by the construction of the Trans Papua Road, Sentani International Airport, and several ports. The community is getting smoother in matters of transportation and has alternatives to using air transportation which is relatively expensive. Because the land and sea roads are good and smooth.
Development is not only in the infrastructure sector to support mobility, but also in sports facilities. So that it is hoped that the Papuan people will be healthier and can develop their talents in the sports field.
In addition, Otsus Papua has provided scholarships to all Papuan children. So that they can go to school from elementary to high school, and college for those who pass the selection. On average they study in Java and after graduating to serve in the Papua Provincial Government, schools or other institutions, as a form of gratitude and also to educate children in Cendrawasih Earth, so that there is a regeneration of qualified prospective leaders.
One example, the special autonomy scholarship has brought Billy Mambrasar to study well and as a result he is now a member of the Presidential Special Staff. His achievements at a young age make him an example of the success of Otsus Papua, that Otsus scholarship recipients can be successful in the capital. With a note, you must be studious and always curious, and have a good attitude.
Meanwhile, the special autonomy scholarship is also given to high school graduates who wish to serve the country by becoming a member of the TNI. They are given a special quota, as well as pocket money when education takes place. Papuan youths train hard and try to secure their area from attacks by separatist groups.
The giving of scholarships for both youths who want to study and who want to become soldiers has made Papuan children even more enthusiastic. Because they get attention by being given the choice to study at university or devote themselves to the country to become a TNI soldier. The diversity of benefits of otsus can be a solution to improve the welfare of the people in Papua. Otsus is a form of concern for the central government for Papua in order to maximize its potential. Special Autonomy is also a solution for the development of various sectors of public welfare so that it is the right step to boost Papua’s progress.