By: Ixtusya Engresya )*
The struggle in an effort to accelerate the distribution of the welfare of the Papuan people continues. The Land of Papua is a land rich in natural resources. The wealth owned by Papua must of course be directly proportional to the welfare of the people living in Papua. One of the efforts that has been made by the government is by developing a New Autonomous Region (DOB).
Various policies have been stipulated, most recently of course the government’s decision to divide provinces in Papua through the new autonomous regions, so that currently the Papua region has six provinces of which 4 provinces are new territories.
It is hoped that the existence of four new provinces in Papua will encourage access to public services to become faster and more massive. With the division, there will be the appointment of a new governor in each new province so that the community will be better protected and served.
With the development of new autonomous regions in Papua, the government also wants that at least 80 percent of civil servants in Papua are native Papuans, this is aimed at ensuring that equality of people’s welfare in Papua is realized.
Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Mendes PDTT) Abdul Halim Iskandar emphatically said that the inauguration of the New Autonomous Region in Papua would accelerate the distribution of development and peace in Papua, so that the welfare of the people in Papua could be guaranteed.
Abdul also hopes that the existence of the new autonomous regions will no longer cause conflicts such as conflicts resulting from disputes over territory between both mountain communities and people who live on the coast of Papua.
On the other hand, he also asked the Acting Governor to participate in financing native Papuan children who will go to school from 2023 onwards. Furthermore, he also ensured that children who study at home and abroad can return to Indonesia to lead the land of Papua so that it becomes better and moves forward.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Ridwan as the Acting Governor through the ODB Regional Meeting and the third Musrenbang opportunity could take advantage of the forum to improve the welfare of the people in Papua.
Previously, on November 17 2022, the DPR RI Plenary Session had approved the Draft Law (RUU) concerning the Formation of the Southwest Papua Province to become law.
As for the purpose of the division of the province in Papua, it is contained in article 93 of Government Regulation Number 106 of 2021 concerning the Authority and Institutions for the Implementation of the Special Autonomy Policy for the Province of Papua.
The regulation states that division is to accelerate equitable development, improve public services, community welfare, and the dignity of the indigenous Papuans (OAP). Expansion itself will certainly have a positive impact because welfare management and development plans in Papua will go well. In addition, the division will also increase security stability in Papua.
On a different occasion, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin hoped that the formation of four new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua Province could be a way of change or a game changer for solving problems in Papua, both welfare and security issues.
Ma’ruf also hopes that the formation of a new province in Papua will make services to the people of Papua more massive. This is because so far services in the vast region of Papua have only been concentrated in the provinces of Papua and one in West Papua. The realization of the New Autonomous Region in Papua can be the best effort in presenting accelerated development and equity as rights that must and must be received by Papuans who are part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
With the new autonomous regions, of course, this will provide new opportunities for the Sons of the Region to further develop their talents and potential. Of course, the decision to expand new autonomous regions must be able to be used by young people who want to develop their talents.
The Terrorist Separatist Group (KST) apparently is still causing trouble in Papua, one of which is the burning of the Ilaga 1 Public High School Library. It is known that the action was led by Titus Murib as KKB HEAD OF WATER.
Knowing this, the Ilaga TNI-Polri Joint Security Apparatus immediately responded. They launched using 2 units of four-wheeled vehicles of the type Rantis and a truck to the scene of the incident. When they arrived at SMA N 1 Ilaga, the apparatus immediately carried out a sweep.
Even though the Ilaga 1 Public High School library building has been the victim of an arson attack, the situation in the area is still being closely monitored by all the TNI-Polri Security Apparatuses. At that time they were on alert status 1. This arson was suspected of being an attempt by the KST group to disrupt security stability in the Puncak district area. This action was carried out at the time of commemorating the 78th Indonesian Independence Day.
Welfare distribution is one of the government’s efforts in implementing the fifth precept of Pancasila, the existence of a new autonomous region seems to be able to stimulate development and cut the distance for people who have certain interests such as health checks or administrative arrangements, on the other hand the police office will also increase so that it will impact on increased security throughout the Earth Cenderawasih region.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Manado