By: Sandy Arifin)*
The social imbalance and inequality of development felt by the Papuan community, resulted in the formation of opposition groups that metamorphosed into the seeds of separatists, because being ridden by interest groups both from within and abroad.
After 72 years of independent Indonesia, various changes occurred from changes in economic, political and socio-cultural patterns. However, its independence has not been felt by the people of Papua. Backwardness that occurs due to low quality of human resources and lack of infrastructure from all fields makes them feelin like stepchildren in their home. Not to mention their abundant natural resource has not being benefit to them, and is only used by a handful of people.
This problem becomes a homework for the government of President Jokowi post-elected in 2014 then. After several years of leading and innovating policies, the current Jokowi government is in the process of fulfilling its promise during a campaign to carry out development in disadvantaged areas and making it the home front, one of its focuses, including the land of Papua. In the program of nawacita, the development of economy and human resources is one of the main agendas in which the underdeveloped regions and outer islands are the priority of the program.
Carrying out development in the land of Papua is a tough task of the government, because the Papuan people’s belief in government is very low after much suffering, and false promises given by representatives of the people, and previous government. To that end, the steps the government must take to implement development in the land of Papua is to reclaim the hearts of the people of Papua and rebuild public confidence in the government. With the return of public trust to the government, the implementation of development in the land of Papua will not experience significant obstacles. The government is currently working to adjust the development program implemented in Papua land with local wisdom. It is intended to maintain the existing kebinekhaan in Indonesia with the preservation of customary values, especially customary values in the land of Papua.
Currently, people are just waiting for the results while keeping the government’s progress. With the principle of democracy that the government and the supreme ruler are in the hands of the people, the people have the right and obligation to control the government’s net. The community must fully support the government’s plan to develop disadvantaged areas like Papua for the equitable distribution of living standards in Indonesia. With equitable distribution of life, social inequality that is essentially a seed of disintegration will be eradicated, and the existence of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia will remain intact.
)* The Author is Junior Researcher of CIDISS
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