The Establishment of the New Autonomous Region of Papua Improves Services to the Community

By: Alfred Jigibalom

The community is asked to accept the establishment of a New Autonomous Region (DOB) for Papua which is currently being pursued by the Government.

The establishment of the New Autonomous Region is believed to shorten the bureaucratic span, improve public services, and accelerate the progress of Papua.

In Papua there are only 2 provinces even though the area is much wider than Java, so that geographical problems make it difficult to regulate government programs. For this reason, the community asked for the addition of a new autonomous region.

The government also accommodates these aspirations because soon there will be 3 new provinces, namely Central Papua, South Papua, and Central Highlands Papua and the bill will be ratified.

Yan Permenas Mardenas, member of the Indonesian Parliament from Papua stated that all elements of Papuan society, both civilians and political elites residing in Papua or outside Papua, support the new autonomous region. The new province will bring prosperity and for the future of Bumi Cendrawasih (Papua). Therefore, the community is asked to accept the 3 regional expansion bills instead of participating in the demonstrations that are out there.

The formation of a new province was indeed approved by the people of Papua, but there were individuals who did not understand and incited residents to demonstrate. It is suspected that these individuals are members of KST (separatist and terrorist groups) who really hate government programs, including regional expansion.

In fact, the Papuan people themselves have asked for regional expansion and some time ago representatives of the Papuan people had a direct audience with President Jokowi to convey it. The addition of new autonomous regions has also been a struggle for 20 years. After there was a province of West Papua, it felt like another province was needed, because Bumi Cendrawasih area is too wide if there are only 2 provinces.

Therefore, the public should not be provoked by the hot grapevine out there. There’s no need to demonstrate, let alone just join in and don’t know what the real problem is. Regional expansion clearly brings benefits because the APBD funds are increased and used for Papuan community facilities. It is impossible for the expansion to be detrimental because the indigenous Papuans themselves requested it.

Provocations from individuals to demonstrate against the addition of new autonomous regions are intentional and they like it when society is divided. Do not let the Papuans be divided into 2 camps because division will bring a lot of losses. Rest assured that the division of territory will be good for the future of the Cendrawasih Earth and provocations from unscrupulous elements are just a thing of the past.

Yan Permenas continued, the three new autonomous regions bill are the government’s concern for the Papuan people. The government has also continued special autonomy (Otsus) as evidence that Papua is still being cared for.

During the administration of President Jokowi, Papua was given a lot of attention, and he was listed as the President who most frequently visited Bumi Cendrawasih region.

President Jokowi directly monitors the condition of the people there. The community also immediately vented and asked him for things, including regional expansion.

It is clear that the division of territory is for the sake of the future of Papua because if there are many provinces then many facilities will be built, such as schools and other public facilities. Later, Papuan children will learn more enthusiastically because they can go to high school without traveling far to other districts. Moreover, they get an special autonomy (Otsus) scholarship so they can study without worrying about the cost.

The division of territory is clearly for the betterment of Papua and not for the coercion of programs from the central government. The community must understand it and look far back, and see the struggle to get a new province. Do not even demonstrate arbitrarily and be exposed to incitement.

The Papuan people were asked to remain calm and not get burned by the provocations of unscrupulous persons and then stage a demonstration against the bill for the expansion of the region. The addition of new autonomous regions brings a lot of progress for the people and is believed to be a blessing from God for the progress of Papua.

)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali

Source: Delik News