Government’s Strong Commitment to Appoint New Autonomous Region Leaders from Indigenous Papuans
The development of the New Autonomous Region (DOB) certainly requires a competent leader to lead the New Autonomous Region, because after all competent human resources are the key in managing development for the sake of prosperity. However, the government remains committed to appointing a new autonomous region leader who is an indigenous Papuan OAP.
Previously, Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin emphasized that the government was committed to prioritizing OAP to become the leader of the new autonomous regions. He said this in his press statement.
The Vice President explicitly said that the division in Papua was solely to provide better service to the community. Especially for the welfare of the people of Papua. If the service is too far away, such as in only one province, of course it is not well served.
Previously, in November 2022, the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) had appointed 3 Acting Governors of the New Autonomous Region of Papua. The inauguration was carried out in a series of events from the inauguration of 3 new autonomous regions in Papua, namely the Provinces of South Papua, Central Papua Province and Papua Mountains Province which took place simultaneously.
The three Acting Acts who were appointed came from civil society who are native Papuans. The three of them were appointed after passing the selection by the Final Assessment Team (TPA). They were appointed based on Presidential Decree (Kepres) RI Number 115/P Year 2022 dated 10 November 2022 concerning the Appointment of Acting Governors.
The following is a brief profile related to the Acting Governor of the New Autonomous Region of Papua who is a native of the Region:
South Papua, Apolo Safanpo is a former Expert Staff to the Minister of Home Affairs for Government Affairs. The man who was once an academic at Cenderawasih University was appointed by the Minister of Home Affairs to become the Acting Governor of South Papua. Previously, Apolo also served as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Cenderawasih University from 2012 to 2017.
Central Papua, Rebekah Haluk was elected as Acting Governor of Highlands Papua. Prior to serving as Acting Governor, Rebekah served as Head of Social Welfare and Isolated Communities Office of Papua Province in 2013, Head of Social and Settlement Office of Papua Province in 2014, Acting Regent of Mappi District in 2017, Acting Regent of Yalimo Regency in 2021 etc.
Papua Mountains, Having become the Chief Prosecutor of the State of Sleman in 2014, Nikolaus Kondomo was appointed as Acting Governor of Papua Mountains. Prior to serving as Acting Governor, Nikolaus was an Expert Staff for Inter-agency Relations and International Cooperation at the Republic of Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office.
The Papua Special Autonomy Policy (Otsus) is basically granting wider authority to the province and the people of Papua to regulate and manage themselves within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. The granting of this authority represents the socio-cultural and economic potential of the Papuan people. This includes providing an adequate role for indigenous Papuans through representatives of their traditions, religion and women.
The priority of indigenous Papuans in the context of regional head elections in the Papua region is in accordance with the spirit of the Papua Special Autonomy Law and constitutionally this special treatment can be justified. The requirement to be native Papuans is recognition and respect for regional government units in Papua and West Papua and the application of these requirements for the positions of Governor and Deputy Governor.
Referring to government regulation Number 106 of 2021 which regulates the authority and institutional implementation of the special autonomy policy for the province of Papua. Meanwhile, government regulation number 107 deals with acceptance, management, supervision and a master plan for accelerating development in the context of implementing the special autonomy for the province of Papua.
It also needs to be agreed that what is called an indigenous Papuan is a person who was born and lives in Papua, and whose parents are also Papuans. OAP does not mean residents who live in Papua and he is a migrant from another place (outside the island). If it’s like this, then the status is a migrant, not OAP.
So the choice of OAP as a candidate for leadership in the Papua New Guinea is of course not a racial reason or an illogical reason. One of the strengthening grounds is the existence of the Special Autonomy Law which was made so that the Papuan people get the right to develop their own area, so that candidates for governor and deputy governor throughout Papua must be native Papuans.
In addition, there are other requirements that are equally important, namely that indigenous Papuans must be neutral from political interests. A neutral figure will of course free governor officials from practical political interests and future political investments. With such neutrality, of course, he will not be easily steered by interest groups.
Otsus is a privilege for Papua to develop all its potential. Of course there are not a few native Papuans who are competent to become leaders or officials in Papua, through Otsus also OAP can access proper education, so that they have the readiness and provisions when they are later given the mandate to lead Papua.
