DOB and Special Autonomy are the Main Keys to Accelerating Development and Improving the Welfare of Papua
The expansion of Papua Province is an effort to accelerate the development and welfare of the Papuan people. Member of the DPR RI from the Electoral District (Dapil) of Papua, Mesakh Mirin, said that the passing of the New Autonomous Region (DOB) Law for Papua, namely the Central Papua Bill, the South Papua Bill and the Mountain Papua Bill, could answer the Papuan people’s hopes for the prosperity they should get.
Having a new autonomous region in Papua will give hope for equitable development in Papua. The Papua expansion policy is a mandate and implementation of Law (UU) Number 2 of 2021 concerning Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua, specifically Article 76. Thus, the main foundation of the three expansion bills must guarantee and provide space for OAP. It is hoped that the regulations created can become a concrete legal umbrella, especially in the implementation of governance in the early stages and in the following periods in the three provinces.
The President’s Special Staff, Billy Mambrasar, said that the government continues to focus on realizing development in the Papua region. This development was realized through the policies of the Special Autonomy Law, new autonomous regions, and cutting regulations or bureaucracy.
In the Special Autonomy mandate there is a policy of expansion (DOB). The policy of establishing new regions is to address the span of control between the government and the community. Considering that Papua has a very large area and complex problems.
On another occasion, Papuan Youth Leader Charles Kosay said that in the Papua Development Acceleration Strategy, the Government had evaluated the implementation of Special Autonomy with the issuance of Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua Province. With the changes to the Special Autonomy Law, education, health, government governance and human resource and infrastructure development will be better.
Meanwhile, Cendrawasih University Academician Marinus Yaung said on his occasion that when discussing the issue of accelerating development in Papua, there are two things that need to be considered. The first is “capital” and the second is human resources or human readiness.
Deputy V of the Presidential Staff Office, Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, said that all Ministries/Institutions (ministries/institutions) must disseminate and amplify Papua’s development and form dialogue forums to discuss Papua’s problems and solutions. Coordination and collaboration are needed to face the many negative narratives regarding the formation of new autonomous regions in Papua. Social media accounts that support Papuan separatism often create narratives from various angles and framings. The issues raised included human rights violations, marginalization, violence and the environment.
In order to accelerate development in Papua, the state has issued articles related to the expansion of Papua. This is to answer the problem of social equality. Because economic growth without social equality can be the root of problems and conflict.
Executive Director of the Regional Autonomy Implementation Monitoring Committee (KPPOD) Herman N Suparman said it was necessary to see expansion as a path to prosperity in Papua. This is because the expansion that has previously been implemented in Papua has not guaranteed public services in the new autonomous region. Problems that occur in new autonomous regions include low fiscal capacity and unsatisfactory performance of services to the community, especially in new autonomous regions. To accelerate improvements in welfare and public services throughout the Papua region or in the special autonomy areas, it is necessary to improve the framework for the relationship between the central government and the regions.
Regarding guidance and supervision, implementation or absorption capacity of the Papua special autonomy fund, a systematic and collaborative evaluation must be carried out by the central government. The central government must set performance targets, output, and even influence on regional governments regarding the budget allocated for special autonomy funds which are given every year.
President Joko Widodo has made various efforts and breakthroughs to improve the welfare of the Papuan people. Starting from launching a one-price fuel policy in 2016, which is now underway, to making diplomatic efforts by repeatedly visiting Papua.
At the end of 2020, President Joko Widodo issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 9 of 2020 concerning the Acceleration of Welfare Development in Papua Province and West Papua Province. The main objective of issuing the Presidential Instruction is to accelerate welfare development in the Land of Papua, which covers seven priority areas, namely poverty, education, health, MSEs, employment, achievement of SDGs, and infrastructure.
Efforts to accelerate Papua’s development were then re-emphasized through the preparation of a Master Plan for the Acceleration of Papua’s Special Autonomy Development which became an important guideline for national development, as well as helping to prepare the bureaucratic structure including the native Papuan State Civil Apparatus (ASN). The government wants at least 80 percent of ASN in Papua to be native Papuans, so that improvements in community welfare can truly be realized. The Government’s strong desire, which includes developing natural resources, infrastructure development, and supporting fair development policies for the interests of the Papuan people, is the main capital for developing the prosperity of the Land of Papua.
