Indonesia: Government Involves Indigenous Communities in Papua’s Development
By : Julvri Liben )*
The government continues to make maximum efforts to develop Papua, starting from the Trans Papua Road to the Papua Youth Creative Hub (PYCH) Building which was initiated by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN). In the development process, the Government continues to involve indigenous communities in development in Papua. This is important because indigenous peoples have in-depth knowledge and understanding of their local environment and culture which is crucial for sustainable and resilient development.
When groundbreaking PYCH some time ago, President Jokowi hoped that the existence of PYCH could become a center for developing talents and become a creative center for young Papuans to strengthen the innovation ecosystem. Therefore, the involvement of indigenous communities and youth is the main capital in advancing Papua.
The role of indigenous peoples is very important in development in Papua because they have deep knowledge, experience and relationships with the local environment and culture. Indigenous peoples have extensive knowledge about natural resources, ecosystems and traditional ways of managing them. This knowledge is invaluable in maintaining environmental sustainability and ensuring its responsible use.
Meanwhile, Vice President (Wapres) Ma’ruf Amin said actively involving indigenous communities in every stage of development is a very important step to prevent conflict and ensure development runs smoothly. Traditional leaders and community leaders have respected authority in their communities. So involving them in development shows respect for traditional leadership and ensures that decisions are made taking into account local interests and values.
Deputy Chairman of Il MRP South Papua Province, Paskalis Imadawa, said that his party welcomed the confirmation of Acting. The Governor of South Papua, Apolo Safanpo, regarding the involvement of the MRP in supervising the planning and implementation of development sourced from the Papua Special Autonomy funds. According to Paskalis, reflecting on the experience of implementing Special Autonomy Volume I for 20 years, namely 2001-2021, the absorption of Special Autonomy funds does not directly touch the interests and welfare of the Papuan people, where the MRP’s involvement in monitoring development policies in Papua is also considered very weak.
Paskalis said that now entering Special Autonomy volume II, the MRP is expected to be the last bastion of hope, because it is a cultural representative institution of the OAP community. Therefore, MRP must be properly involved in monitoring and evaluating every development program in Papua. Apart from that, he also hopes that regional apparatus organizations or provincial and district government agencies that handle the use of Special Autonomy funds need to be open to suggestions, input, criticism and supervision from the MRP.
Overall, involving indigenous communities in development in Papua is not only a moral and legal obligation, but also a wise strategy to ensure development that is sustainable, harmonious with the environment, and beneficial to local communities. This approach not only supports the technical success of development projects, but also promotes social inclusion, respects the rights of indigenous peoples, and encourages sustainable and equitable development in Papua.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta
