Timika religious leaders: The continuation of Papua’s Special Autonomy needs to be discussed together

Timika (ANTARA) – The continuation of Papua’s Special Autonomy – Catholic religious leader and diocesan administrator in Timika, Papua, Father Marthin Kuayo Pr called on the central government and the people of Papua to sit down together to discuss the continuation of Papua’s Special Autonomy (Otsus) policy after the first phase of the Special Autonomy policy which lasted for 20 years ended in 2021.

“The Catholic Church invites that between the central government in Jakarta and the Papuan people need to sit together to discuss this. Do not let one party force the will,” Father Marthin said in Timika on Tuesday.

Father Marthin, who also served as the vicar general of the Diocese of Timika, said that if the special autonomy policy in Papua was resumed only because of the decision of one party, it could have a negative impact on the Papuan people.

“We feel that a dignified dialogue between the central government in Jakarta and the people of Papua is the best solution to discuss various problems that have occurred in Papua so far,” he said.

Separately, Papua Regional Police Chief Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw assessed that there had been a lot of progress felt by indigenous Papuans since the easternmost part of Indonesia returned to the Republic of Indonesia in the 1960s, especially after the implementation of the special autonomy policy since 2001.

“After returning to the lap of the Republic of Indonesia, we have only 12 regencies in Papua. But since otsus, there are now around 40 regencies / cities, 29 in Papua Province and 12 in West Papua Province. From that side alone, there have been leaps. extraordinary, “said Inspector General Waterpauw.

While in terms of increasing the human resources of indigenous Papuans, he said, now young Papuans are spread out in almost all countries in the world utilizing scholarship facilities provided by the government, not counting Papuan students studying at various domestic educational institutions.

On the development side, he said, almost all regencies / cities in Papua and West Papua now rely on funds from the special autonomy fund source to be able to develop their regions because the potential of original regional income (PAD) cannot yet be worked out to the maximum.

“For me, maybe the management of the special autonomy fund is still not right. Of course there must be a joint correction and evaluation of all state administrators in this case the government both at the provincial and district / city levels. The local government, DPRD and MRP (Papua People’s Assembly) must be brave sitting talking about this big money used for anything, must be transparent, “said Inspector General Waterpauw who is also a native of Papua from Lakahia Island, Kaimana Regency.

Based on these facts, the Papua Regional Police Head emphasized that there was no reason not to continue the special autonomy policy in the provinces of Papua and West Papua.

“I have traveled all over Indonesia, there is no other region that gets specificity like us in Papua. Unfortunately if this good policy is rejected. If there are still disappointments from the figures, I invite us to communicate it well,” said the former Sumatran Regional Police Chief North of that anyway.