Wondering If Government Is Serious About Developing Papua

We Wonder Whether The Government Is Serious About Developing Papua

JUBI, 23 February 2011
We Wonder Whether The Government Is Serious About Developing Papua

Papuan people are doubtful about the government's seriousness and commitment in developing the province of Papua and dealing with the deficiencies in a number of spheres.

'Poverty still overwhelms the majority of Papuans. The lack of links between the productive economic pockets that exist in a number of districts and regions is still very worrisome and far from helping to deal with the needs of development. Everyone recognises this,' said Diaz Gwijangge, member of Commission X of DPR, the national parliament.

People's dissatisfactions became evident during discussions about the amendments to the country's constitution which took place in Jayapura last week.

'People say, we already have OTSUS. There's plenty of money, but where's the proof? Is the government serious or not in helping us?' These are the complaints that are being voiced when we attend meetings,' said Diaz who represents Partai Demokrat in the DPR.

The gathering he addressed was attended by about fifty people including representatives of students, religious leaders, community leaders, NGOs and the chairmen of student hostels from right across the province. 'During a dialogue, the participants questioned the seriousness of the government in bringing Papua out of poverty and backwardness that still weighs heavily on the Papuan people,' he said.

Apart from this, people in Papua are still struggling daily with such problems as healthcare, education, the physical infrastructure, the human rights court, the rule of law, and (action on) a whole range of welfare issues. Many who participated in the dialogue said they dont need any more promises. What is needed is real action among people down at the grass roots.

' The President's address on 16 August 2010 was very clear. That the provinces of Papua and West Papua are the poorest of all the provinces of Indonesia. Yet since then, the members of his government have shown no serious intent about doing anything about it..'

One of the Papuans present, a community leader, Eli Karuri, asked about the contribution of the Partai Demokrat through its group in the Indonesian parliament. Papuans have three representatives in parliament, all from Partai Demokrat. [the party of the President].

'Papuans kept their promise to support SBY in the presidential election and now have three representatives in parliament. Sad to say, they have forgotten all about the people who voted for them,' he said.

In response, Diaz said that the government has taken a number of steps in the interests of people in all the provinces, not only Papua and West Papua. These include the National Empowerment Programme, educational funding, people's credit, family programmes and so on.

'As a Papuan representative, I have been working as hard as I can in the DPR to promote the aspirations of the (Papuan) community. If these have not yet come to fruition, there is a need for the people themselves to make the government more responsive towards the needs of the Papuan people, in view of all the deficiencies that they continue to face.'

He said that he had done his utmost to struggle for Papuan aspirations. It now depends on making sure of their implementation by the relevant ministers in SBY's cabinet.

Diaz also said that the Indonesian parliament has set up an Evaluation Team for Acehnese and Papuan Special Autonomy. which must make recommendations to the central government about the concrete steps that need to be taken to resolve a number of problems in the development processes in these two regions where conflicts have occurred.

ENDS

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