Special Autonomy Program Produces Positive Results in Development

Positive results of special autonomy

KEEROM, wartaplus.com – One of the Religious Leaders from Arso 8, Arso Barat District, Keerom Regency, Papua, Pdt. Mambrasar Dukwiah expressed his support for the sustainability of Special Autonomy (Otsus) volume II.

“The Otsus program has produced positive results in the development and expansion of the region,” he said, Wednesday (14/10)

According to him, the Otsus program has a good purpose to build for the welfare of the Papuan people, and this has been proven so it is worth continuing.

“Indeed, the Otsus program has shortcomings but we must contribute to providing input to the government what is lacking,” said Mambrasar

He hopes the government will be more open in using the Special Autonomy fund. So that people can get a complete picture of special autonomy in Papua.

“Let us sit together and provide input to the government for a better future for Papua,” he asked. (Adv)

Positive results of special autonomy news source: Warta Plus

Notes:

Located on the western half of the island of New Guinea and long racked by a simmering violent separatist insurgency, Papua encompasses Indonesia’s two easternmost provinces.

A former Dutch colony, West Papua has formally returned to Indonesia in 1969.

The undisputed vote of about 1,025 representative tribal leaders has chosen to join Indonesia.

The United Nations endorsed the result of the plebiscite and the world recognized West Papua as part Indonesia.

West Papuan people have elected the leaders of Papua and West Papua provinces.

The election in West Papua has strengthened the legality of the region as a province of Indonesia.

On Special autonomy:

Special autonomy is part of democratic means to address aspiration of Papuan people. In late 2001, Indonesian government introduced a “special autonomy” bill for West Papua. The bill, which was drafted mostly by indigenous Papuans, passed the Indonesian parliament as Law No. 21 in November 2001.

The process of special autonomy began in November 2000 under the leadership of West Papua Governor, Jaap Salossa. He convinced the MPR (Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly) that West Papua, like Aceh, needed a policy of special autonomy, Salossa began the process of drafting a special autonomy bill by inviting local scholars, academics, activists, tribal leaders, and customary figures, including some of the NGO representatives and religious organizations in this region.