The Indonesian Government’s Strong Commitment to Build a Safe and Prosperous Papua
*) By: Septian Hadi
In the security aspect, the government is committed to creating a conducive situation for all Papuan people. The security approach taken is not only through military operations, but also by collaborating with community, traditional and religious leaders to be actively involved in maintaining peace. The government also opens space for dialogue for all interested parties so that security problems can be resolved peacefully and completely. By creating a safe atmosphere, it is hoped that investment and various economic activities can run smoothly, providing a positive impact on the welfare of the Papuan people.
The Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ma’ruf Amin, said that the development of Papua has become the government’s main priority. This effort is in line with the government’s commitment to realizing Indonesia-centric development in order to reduce disparities between regions. For this reason, Papuan development policies and strategies continue to be pushed to strengthen the role of the new autonomous regional government in improving the welfare of indigenous Papuans, one of which is through strengthening regulations.
As mandated by the law, the government has prepared RIPPP 2022-2041 which carries a big vision, namely the realization of an independent, just and prosperous Papua,” with three main missions, namely healthy Papua, intelligent Papua, and productive Papua. This is important as a legal umbrella and guideline in the planning, budgeting, implementation, evaluation and control of accelerated development in Papua. The development policy direction for the Papua region has also been harmonized into the Final Draft National Long Term Development Plan for 2025-2045 with the theme “Accelerating Development of the Papua Region towards a Healthy, Smart and Productive Papua”.
It is hoped that this design and planning framework will bring new enthusiasm, paradigms and breakthroughs in order to realize a leap in Papua’s prosperity in the next 20 years. He believes that the acceleration of Papua’s development will be increasingly visible with the presence of the Papua Special Autonomy Development Acceleration Steering Committee (BP3OKP) or often referred to as the Papua Steering Committee (BPP).
On the other hand, the government realizes that quality human resources are the main key to achieving prosperity. Therefore, various educational programs continue to be promoted, starting from improving school facilities and infrastructure to providing scholarships for Papuan students who excel. A higher education affirmation program is also provided for Papuan sons and daughters to continue their education to a higher level, both within the country and abroad. It is hoped that this will produce a young generation of Papuans who are intelligent, competitive and able to contribute to regional development.
Apart from education, health is also the government’s main focus. Access to quality health services is the right of every citizen, including the Papuan people. The government has built and improved various health facilities in Papua, including community health centers and hospitals. Apart from that, a program to send medical personnel to remote areas is also carried out to ensure that all Papuan people receive adequate health services. Vaccination and disease prevention programs also continue to be promoted to improve the health status of the Papuan people.
Meanwhile, infrastructure development is no less the government’s focus in building a prosperous Papua. Roads, bridges, ports and airports continue to be built and repaired to open up the isolation of the Papua region. With adequate infrastructure, the mobility of goods and services will become smoother, which will ultimately improve the regional economy. The infrastructure development program also involves local communities, so that apart from increasing accessibility, this program also provides employment opportunities for the Papuan people.
Minister of National Development Planning/Head of the National Development Planning Agency, Suharso Monoarfa said that the preparation of the 2022-2041 RIPPP which was coordinated by the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas was a mandate of Law number 2 of 2021 concerning the Second Amendment to Law number 21 of 2001 concerning Autonomy Especially for Papua Province. This master plan was prepared jointly with ministries/institutions, regional governments and Papuan community leaders, which is an integrated plan between sectors and regions that prioritizes the principles of good financial management.
The government’s commitment to building a safe and prosperous Papua can also be seen from its efforts to recognize and respect the traditional rights of the Papuan people. Development policies are made by taking into account local wisdom and the participation of indigenous communities. The government continues to strive to involve indigenous communities in the development planning and implementation process, so that the development carried out is truly in line with the needs and aspirations of the Papuan people.
The Acting Governor of Mountainous Papua Province, Velix F. Wanggai, hopes that today’s national strategic program and the Mountainous Papua strategic program will mark the start of efforts and determination to build community welfare in all corners of Mountainous Papua province. Massive development in Papua will increase the spirit of nationalism and the state’s presence for prosperity in Papua.
In carrying out various development programs in Papua, the government does not work alone. Collaboration with various parties, including local governments, non-governmental organizations and the international community, is very important to achieve holistic and sustainable development goals. It is hoped that all parties can contribute positively to the better development of Papua.
Overall, the government’s commitment to building a safe and prosperous Papua is a real step to ensure that Papua becomes an integral part of a developed and developing Republic of Indonesia. With hard work and cooperation from all parties, it is hoped that Papua can enjoy sustainable development and its people can live in prosperity and peace
*) The author is a contributor to Kapanlagi.com
