Another support to special autonomy

Another support to special autonomy

JAYAPURA – Central highland community leader in Buper Waena, Jayapura City, Nairon Wenda, asked all elements to unite their perceptions to support the sustainability of special autonomy (Otonomi khusus – Otsus).

According to him, Otsus needs to be continued because during the past 20 years there has been change for the Papuan people, both in the interior and the coast regions.

“Otsus really helps development in several fields, especially equitable development and education,” he said, Monday (7/9) afternoon.

Regarding the rejection of Special Autonomy that was raised by several elements, Nairon said it doesn’t to be responded, considering that special autonomy in Papua is very much needed by the small community.

“We still need future development, for those who reject Otsus we strongly disagree. Because we want Papua to be more advanced,” he stressed.

Equitable development and education in Papua have changed a lot because of Otsus, therefore he and the Papuan leaders support the sustainability of Otsus, but with a note that there must be a revision so that it is right on target. That is why all Papuan should give their support to special autonomy.

Notes:

A former Dutch colony, West Papua was formally incorporated into Indonesia in 1969, after an undisputed vote of about 1,025 representative tribal leaders. The result of the plebiscite was overseen and endorsed by the United Nations.

Since the democratization in 1998, especially since 2007, democracy by mean of elections has been introduced to increase political participation in the two provinces. The fact that the leaders of Papua and West Papua provinces are democratically elected by the people has strengthened the legality of the region as a province of Indonesia.

During the Abdurrahman Wahid administration in 2000, aside from changing the province name from “Irian Jaya” to “Papua”, Papua gained a “Special Autonomy” status, a political compromise between Papuans and the central government.

The political will of politicians in Jakarta to proceed with the implementation of the Special Autonomy was formalized in 2001 with the special autonomy law.