By: Alfred Jigibalom )*
Special autonomy or Otsus is a privilege given to the people of the Earth of Cendrawasih. Otsus Papua is a middle way to overcome various problems there, from the economy to the authority of the people, so that the sustainability of the Otsus program in 2021 gets a lot of support from the community.
Papua as an eastern region in Indonesia has several differences with areas in the western part of Indonesia. In addition to the different geographical conditions, another difference is in terms of construction. You could say that at this time in Bumi Cendrawasih, the local government is pushing so that the area is more modern and has various infrastructures.
Why is the Papuan government so enthusiastic about building? The reason is that the start in modernization on Cendrawasih Earth is different from other regions, because of the centralization rules that were set in the New Order era decades ago. President Jokowi’s government is trying to apply the principle of justice and develop Papua as best as possible, and its capital is the special autonomy fund (Otsus).
Otsus which was started in 2001 and extended in 2021 is the middle way to solve various problems in Papua. Steve L Mara, Youth Leader of LIRA Papua stated that Otsus is a policy for the welfare of Papua. Large funds have been rolled out (up to trillions of rupiah), the aim is to reduce the gap between Papua, West Papua, and other provinces.
Improving welfare is important because the Papuan people need to eat. If there is an Otsus fund, it will have a positive impact on their welfare and food security. The reason is that some of the Otsus funds are used as capital loans for mothers (mothers in Papua) so that they can trade in the market and earn profits, and do not depend 100% on their husband’s salary.
In addition, the Special Autonomy funds are also in the form of scholarships for Papuan children so that they can continue their education up to high school, and even those who excel can go to college. With high education, they can apply for civil servants or in private companies, so the salary is quite large and their lives are getting better.
The link between Otsus funds and community welfare also occurs when there is infrastructure development in the form of roads and bridges. When land infrastructure is adequate, many areas in Papua can be reached via car or truck, so they no longer rely 100% on air transportation, which is expensive. So, shipping costs can be reduced and the price of goods will decrease, and make the Papuan people happy.
Apart from prospering and educating the Papuan people, Otsus is also effective in overcoming social problems on the Earth of Cendrawasih. The reason is because the Special Autonomy Law states that the role of the Papuan people is enlarged and they are allowed to participate in developing and managing their own region. The Papuan People’s Council (MRP) is one proof.
If Papua is governed by the original citizens (because the Otsus regulation also requires that the governor, wagub, mayor, regent and deputy are OAP- Papuans), then the approach to civilians will be easier. They understand the character of the people on Earth of Cendrawasih (even though they are of different ethnicities) so that their social approach will be easier. In this way, the development of the Papuan people will be successful.
The existence of Otsus is very much supported by the Papuan people and they agreed to Otsus volume 2 in 2021, because development on Earth of Cendrawasih must continue. Do not let the project be abandoned because Otsus is dismissed. Otsus has many benefits, especially in the economic field, so it must be extended.
Special autonomy is a middle way to solve problems in Papua, ranging from economic, social, to education. With the Special Autonomy funds that reach trillions of rupiah, the people are more prosperous and their lives are getting better.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali
