Merauke – The Red and White Village Cooperative has become a key theme in a number of activities in Papua, as attention to community-based economic development grows.
Indonesian Senator Irman Gusman believes that Papua has a strategic position in the national agenda of strengthening village cooperatives.
He also emphasized that the government’s policy to accelerate the formation of the Merah Putih Village Cooperative is the right step to ensure that added economic value can be returned to the community.
“Bung Hatta once said, Indonesia will not shine because of a large torch in Jakarta, but because of the candles in the villages. Through village cooperatives, we light those candles—including in Merauke, this blessed land,” said Irman.
He cited countries that have successfully built cooperative economies, such as New Zealand, the United States, and Germany, as evidence that cooperatives are a modern and inclusive economic model.
Irman highlighted Merauke’s immense potential as a food region capable of supporting national and global demand. He also welcomed Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2025 as a milestone for strengthening village cooperatives.
“Cooperatives are human associations, not capital associations. This is where the nation’s spirit of mutual cooperation lives,” he said.
Support for strengthening the Merah Putih Village Cooperative is also visible at the grassroots level.
In Supiori Regency, discussions regarding the Merah Putih Village Cooperative also emerged in the socialization of national strategic programs by indigenous communities, local government, and churches in Sorendiweri Village.
The activity emphasized the importance of community readiness to support central government policies, including the provision of local food ingredients that can strengthen the economic chain of village cooperatives.
The role of cooperatives is seen as relevant to various empowerment programs at the village level, one of which is the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG) currently running in Supiori.
Representing the Supiori indigenous community, Utrekt Manampaisem stated that indigenous communities, churches, and the government have a shared responsibility to ensure citizens understand the national strategic program.
“We from the Customary, Church, and Government, along with all elements of society, feel a great sense of importance and responsibility for this national strategic program,” he said.
The face-to-face meeting resulted in a joint commitment to fully support government programs, including strengthening the Merah Putih Village Cooperative as the foundation of the community economy in Papua.
This commitment demonstrates that cooperative development is driven not only by policy, but also through active community participation at the village level.
