Author: Aditya Pratama *
The existence of the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) is expected to be a barrier to development in the Papua region. This was caused, because the effort to develop the socio-economic community carried out by the Government of Indonesia in Papua was always blocked by the steep stone of this KKB group. Then, why did the KKB do that? Based on a number of discussions that I conducted with several lecturers at the University of Indonesia, the existence of the KKB has a close relationship with PT Freeport and foreign efforts that reject development in Eastern Indonesia.
On September 27, 2018, PT Inalum signed an agreement to complete the process of acquiring 51 percent of PT Freeport Indonesia’s shares. Where the shares of Freeport have been controlled by the United States for decades, currently changing hands by 51% to the Indonesian Government. This share acquisition process was recognized as the success of President Joko Widodo in implementing the policy of Contract of Work and Law Number 4 of 2009 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining (Minerba Law).
This success is certainly directly proportional to disappointment and anger, which automatically decreases the country’s income from the mining business. Then where is the form of US anger? Although not openly attacking Indonesia for fear of being criticized by other countries, the US uses Proxy War by using the KKB as its puppet. How can it be?
We’ll see, during this time the KKB will not act if there are no specific events. The case of shooting the Trans Papua road workers by the KKB was the result of the success of the government in acquiring Freeport shares. Previously, KKB always made tantrums towards the completion of the construction of the Trans Papua Road. It is very clear that the KKB does not want to see progress and developments in the eastern part of Indonesia, because it will make it difficult for them to take the natural wealth of Papua.
President Jokowi’s steel hand with the help of his ministers cannot be considered trivial. The government is currently difficult to drive foreigners. Until finally the idea emerged from the US to undermine Jokowi’s regime. How to? Tackling Jokowi in the 2019 Presidential Election. The KKB frontman, Egianus Kogeya, also openly announced that he would boycott the 2019 presidential election in Papua.
The US knows that East Indonesia is a voice barn for Jokowi. For its performance in advancing the economy of Papua and its surroundings, almost all Papuans will definitely choose Jokowi. Moreover, Prabowo left bad memories for the Papuan people for human rights violations committed in the past. The US certainly does not want Jokowi to get a lot of votes in Papua. Finally, it was the KKB that they used to scare and force the Papuans to boycott the 2019 Presidential Election.
By boycotting the 2019 presidential election in Papua, they hope that Jokowi loses a lot of votes and loses in the 2019 Presidential Election. So that Indonesia is led by someone who is easily driven by the US. The need for full support from all parties to help our brothers in Papua. Large land with difficult to penetrate terrain conditions and lack of attention to Papua by the center for several years make development there still minimal.
Therefore, with the Trans Papua road construction program, providing electricity support for homes per house, and equalizing fuel prices in the era of President Jokowi, let us become the foundation to start building Papua into a more developed area. I and my friends have dreams, someday, in the Papua Mountains, lodging villas will be opened with a backdrop of natural scenery, and we will vacation there.
*) University of Indonesia students