Papua Special Committee DPD: a dialogical approach to promoting equality in Papua is needed

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Chairman of the Papua Special Committee (Pansus) DPD-RI Filep Wamafma said that there are four main issues in Papua so that a dialogical approach that prioritizes equality in Papua, togetherness, openness and honesty as a fellow nation is needed.

“Basically there are four main issues in Papua, first, differences in understanding and views on Papua’s history. Second, human rights issues. Third, development that has not been fully realized and fourthly marginalization-discrimination of Orang Asli Papua (OAP),” Filep said in his statement at Jakarta, Wednesday.

That was said by Filep when delivering the Final Report of the Papua Special Committee for the DPD RI at the Plenary Session XI of the DPD RI, on Wednesday.

According to him, various efforts that have been made by the Government starting from the New Order era until now have not been able to resolve these problems.

Therefore, he considered, a dialogical approach that promotes equality in Papua, togetherness, openness, and honesty as fellow children of the nation is the best solution offered.

“The format of the dialogue, the content of the dialogue, and participants of the dialogue must be seriously considered by involving all parties, both from the government element, and from elements of the group that are seen as separatist, even if possible, other parties who view the issues in Papua as being presented as issues International, “he said.

He considered, the Government could also adopt the Helsinki Agreement for Aceh in resolving issues in Papua and the government should not ignore these problems.

Filep said, related to conditions and problems that occurred in Papua, the Special Committee recommended several things, first, the fulfillment of human rights and the resolution of human rights issues.

According to him, the government must make real efforts to resolve various past human rights issues as well as actual cases involving Papua such as racial persecution that occurred some time ago.

“The Attorney General’s Office has formed a Joint Working Team with the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights and has paid attention to various investigations conducted by the National Commission on Human Rights and followed it up professionally,” he said.

Secondly according to him, related to development in Papua, the government must pay attention to the concept of development typology in Papua, namely by making indigenous peoples such as the Papua Customary Council, religion, Regional Government as the main subject of development planning in Papua based on indigenous territories.

That, according to him because psychologically, Papuans have more confidence in the Adat, Religious and Local Government Councils, so the Government needs to make the Adat, Church and Local Government Institutions as the Government’s partners in development.

“The government is obliged to encourage the development of the education and health sector, by providing reinforcement to the education classification for OAP, clustering based on remote cities, villages, and indigenous communities and vocational education based on regional economic potential. Then for health, implementation of disease management regulations and the existence of quality standards special health for Papua, “he said.

Third, according to him, the increasing role of Orang Asli Papua (OAP). The government must recognize a recognition that Papuans can become “masters” in their own regions.

He explained, the Government needs to emphasize the role of OAP in aspects of development and governance.

“The acceleration of its implementation is carried out through the appointment of honorariums and recruitment of employees, especially the Indigenous Papua (Orang Asli Papua – OAP),” he said.

Fourth, according to him, the reconstruction of special autonomy (Otsus) through the revision of Law No. 21 of 2001 on the Special Autonomy of the Province of Papua, therefore the DPD encourages to initiate limited revisions related to the management of special autonomy funds regulated in the Act and a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of the Special Autonomy Law which is carried out in a manner parallel after limited revisions are made.

He explained that the reconstruction of Otsus must be two-way, not only involving the Government, but also involving the Indigenous Peoples, the Papuan People’s Assembly, and the DPD RI.

“The position of the DPD RI must be the motor and initiator for the reconstruction of the Special Autonomy Law. The role of the Central Government is that of a facilitator,” he said.

Notes

Equality in Papua is the key for better relations among the population in the region.