By : Rebecca Marian )*
Developing Papua, of course, requires harmonization between policy programs towards affirmative policy directions. In addition, community participation is also needed to absorb development program ideas based on the needs of the community itself.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs John Wempi Wetipo, encouraged the Musrenbang (Development Planning Consultation) activities for the Regional Development Work Plan to become a forum for creating a community that is indigenous Papuans (OAP) as the subject of development in Papua Province. According to him, there are 2 fundamental things that must be answered:
First, through the Musrenbang forum it is hoped that there will be synergy and harmonization of programs and policies with planning documents in accordance with the policy directions with affirmative policy directions and welfare distribution.
Second, it must be able to encourage community participation in providing development program ideas based on the needs of the community itself which are aligned with local government policies in national development.
John Wempi explained that the Musrenbang should be used as a forum for generating physical mobilization or empathy, encouraging aspirations, educating new skills, mobilizing local participation in development by making the community, especially OAP, the subject of development, not merely an object of development.
This was conveyed in remarks and directions to the Papua Province RKPD Musrenbang which was coupled with the 2023 Regional Working Meeting of Governors with Regents/Mayors throughout the province of Papua and the Coordination Meeting of Competency Development for Civil Servants throughout the Province of Papua, which was held on 13/04/2023 in Switzerland -Bell Hotel, Biak, Papua.
Furthermore, John Wempi said that the Musrenbang forum is a special forum and has its own challenges for the Papua Province after the expansion of 3 new autonomous regions.
He revealed that the contribution to the economic potential of the Papua Province after the expansion of the 3 new autonomous regions was supported by the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. Therefore the Musrenbang forum is a special forum and has its own challenges because it is a new episode for the Province of Papua in exploring the potential of areas other than underground minerals.
John Wempi also hopes that the final results of the Musrenbang can interpret and represent the steps for mapping and developing natural and human resources in Papua Province while still prioritizing the principles of sustainable development.
The addition of a new new autonomous region in Papua will of course open up access to development which will impact the welfare of the people of Papua. The hope is that the existence of this new province can provide great benefits for the people of Papua. Because so far there are only two provinces, namely Papua and West Papua, so the reach and access for transportation from the district to the province is very difficult.
The development of new autonomous regions in Papua also provides hope for equal development in Papua. The policy on the division of Papua is the mandate and implementation of Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua, to be precise Article 76. Thus, the main foundation of the three division bills must guarantee and provide space for OAP. It is hoped that the regulations made will also become a concrete legal umbrella, especially in the implementation of governance at the initial stage and in the following periods in the three provinces.
Previously, the Head of the MeePago Tribe Hans Mote stated that he fully agreed and would provide full support to the government for the division of a new autonomous region in the land of Papua. With the division of this new autonomous region, it is hoped that Papua will become more advanced and its development will be evenly distributed in every line so that its people can progress too.
In line with Hans Mote, Tabi Traditional Leader, Ondofolo Yanto Eluay also supports the government’s plan for the expansion of a new Autonomous region in Papua. With the new autonomous regions, of course, this will provide new opportunities for local sons to further develop their potential. Moreover, this division has the objective of dividing the tasks of Regional Government to become more specific and reach a more detailed focus on regions and regional communities.
Meanwhile, Member of the Papuan People’s Assembly, Toni Wanggai stated that the new autonomous regions provide space for native Papuans to occupy positions in the bureaucracy, including occupying structural positions in the local government. The regional government certainly has to make regulations so that indigenous Papuans are able to be maximally absorbed into the government structure.
Absorption of indigenous Papuans into government structures has been constrained by the minimum population in Papua and West Papua, even though the demand for workers in the government sector is very high.
The absorption of indigenous Papuans into the regional government structure is one of the foundations for the development of customary territories to accelerate the development of newly created areas.
Toni Wanggai said that the community could help maintain cultural preservation by making development policy programs based on customary areas in accordance with the cultural and natural potentials of each region so that the development of the newly created areas would be more focused.
For this reason, the role of OAP is needed to be involved in the administration of the new autonomous region government in Papua. Because after all they have an understanding of the territory.
)*The author is a Papuan student living in Jakarta
