By : Rebecca Marian )*
The government is building a road on the border between Papua and Papua New Guinea. This development is at the same time to increase security between countries. The government continues to develop Papua starting to the border with Papua New Guinea, so that there is equal distribution of infrastructure in the Cendrawasih Land.
Papua is a very potential area because it has a wealth of natural resources and minerals. Therefore, development is intensified to support the processing of these resources and prosper the people on Cendrawasih Earth. Development is carried out to the border area because it is to facilitate people’s mobility, while increasing security.
Road construction in areas directly adjacent to neighboring countries is currently the focus of the Indonesian government. For this reason, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) continues to build border roads in several areas, one of which is the construction of the 1,098.33 km Papua Border Road which is directly adjacent to Papua New Guinea.
Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono stated that the border road network is infrastructure that has strategic value for the Republic of Indonesia. This border road network is an infrastructure that has strategic value for the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia with a function as state defense and security and supports new economic growth centers in border areas.
Minister Basuki explained that the challenges in the construction of border roads in Papua are security disturbances, natural conditions that are still in the form of forests, mountains, and weather. In addition, limited construction materials and access to locations are also difficult to achieve, so logistics and labor are difficult to obtain.
This work was carried out in stages considering that the terrain was very difficult because they had to cross steep mountains, penetrate the forest which was very difficult for construction workers and mobilization of work tools.
The PUPR Ministry is targeting 3,707 km of border road construction throughout Indonesia in 2023. The road construction is spread across several regions, such as Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara and Papua and can be completed by the end of 2024.
The government is indeed intensifying development in Papua and President Jokowi is very concerned about all citizens in the Cendrawasih Land. The proof is that he is the president who often visits Papua to see how far development is progressing. What is always inspected is the infrastructure, especially the border roads and cross-country border posts (which are adjacent to Papua New Guinea).
The Papua border road is very important because the construction of the border road is in line with President Joko Widodo’s government program to develop Indonesia from the periphery by strengthening regions and villages within the framework of a unitary state and opening up the isolation of remote areas, reducing expensive costs and improving the quality of life of the people.
The border road network is infrastructure that has strategic value for the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia with a function as state defense and security and supports new economic growth centers in border areas.
In Papua, the construction of the 1,098.24 km border road between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea has also continued to be carried out in stages by the Papua National Road Implementation Agency (BPJN), Directorate General of Highways, Ministry of PUPR.
Construction of the Papua border road in collaboration with Army Engineers during forest clearing and road construction. Furthermore, at the time of construction, it will be continued by the Ministry of PUPR. The construction was quite challenging with weather conditions and rough terrain, making it an obstacle in bringing material and heavy equipment to the site.
It is hoped that the presence of border roads and border access will open up regional isolation which will greatly help people in border areas. Where staple goods can be obtained more easily and cheaply, thereby reducing disparities between regions. With increased community connectivity, new logistics routes will be formed that support the growth of embryonic growth centers.
The government also held a Master Plan for the Acceleration of Development in Papua (RIPPP) which was brought together with stakeholders in Cendrawasih Land. This development plan is valid until 2041. Indeed, this project is carried out in the long term because to develop and prosper Papua cannot only be in the next 1-2 years.
Oktorialdi, Expert Staff of the Minister of PPN/Bappenas (National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency), stated that the intensive meeting for the preparation of the RIPPP was aimed at exploring various inputs regarding the direction of development in Papua, within the framework of special autonomy for the next 20 years.
Oktorialdi continued, in preparing the RIPPP several parties were invited, such as stakeholders from various regions, stakeholders in Papua, the private sector, women leaders, traditional and religious leaders, and youth. They can provide various suggestions so that RIPP will be more perfect and the result will be more advanced Papua.
Development is not only carried out in urban areas such as Jayapura or Merauke, but also in border areas. If the border areas have infrastructure in the form of representative roads, the mobility of the people will be better. They are also progressing.
Construction of the border road between Papua and Papua New Guinea continues. First, the benefit is to increase security between regions. Second, even the people of Papua in remote areas will also feel the progress in their area.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Jakarta
