Reinhart Pakhpakhan | Papuan Observer
The government continues to be optimal in developing and advancing Papua. This is sought so that the Papuan people can prosper and be safe from the disturbances of the Papuan Separatist and Terrorist Groups (KST).
There are 2 issues in Papua that are the focus of the government, namely development and security from the threat of separatist groups who also often spread provocations.
Since taking office as president, Joko Widodo has visited Papua and West Papua at least 11 times. Previously, no president had visited Indonesia’s easternmost island as often as President Jokowi.
“The incessant development in Papua indicates that the government is serious and focused on developing Papuan land”
For the development of physical infrastructure, for example the construction of the very progressive and transformative Trans Papua, as well as the completion of the Papua Bangkit stadium with international standards. Even a beautiful charming Youtefa bridge is also able to increase the productivity of the people in Jayapura, and other infrastructure is the focus of fulfilling the rights of the Papuan people in the Jokowi era.
By the end of 2020, Jokowi has targeted that the internet network can be enjoyed in Papua and West Papua by encouraging the construction of the East Palapa Ring. In addition to infrastructure, the Jokowi government is also concerned about efforts to improve the quality of human resources (HR) in Papua. Indicator figures such as the Human Development Index (HDI) in the two provinces could improve, and the unemployment rate could also decline.
In the national development strategy, the President also issued Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2020 and Presidential Decree no. 20 of 2020 to encourage the acceleration of welfare in Papua Province and West Papua Province. This is of course to realize the people of Papua and West Papua which are advanced, prosperous, peaceful and dignified within the Republic of Indonesia.
Until the end of 2020, the percentage of poverty in Papua reached 26.8 percent. This figure refers to the number of people living in poverty in Papua, more than a quarter of the population. However, the world situation which is in a global pandemic crisis is called the biggest trigger factor that causes poverty in Indonesia to increase, but this view is often debated.
In fact, the increase in the number of poor people in Papua is not only caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. There are various other factors behind it that contribute to the poverty rate in Papua.
For example, the high birth rate where the fertility rate exceeds the mortality and migration rate will certainly form a population pyramid into a pyramid, because the number of people aged between toddlers and toddlers will be more than the number of elderly people.
On a different occasion, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (Kempupera) is committed to realizing reliable infrastructure development in Papua and West Papua to reduce the high poverty rate. Basuki Hadimuljono as Menpupera said that his party took a number of breakthrough steps for infrastructure development in an integrated, precise, focused and synergized manner with ministries/agencies and local governments.
Development in Papua is also not without obstacles. Terror acts carried out by separatist groups such as the OPM have also disturbed the community. Professor of Sociology FISIP Universitas Airlangga, Prof. Bagong Suyanto said that the perpetrators of acts of violence against the Papuan people and members of the TNI-Polri must receive legal proceedings.
The Separatist Terrorist Group (KST) does not tire of spreading terror and destroying Papuan peace. Apart from killing civilians, they also killed a student in Papua. This certainly cannot be tolerated, the security forces in Papua must of course crush the existence of KST so that no victims appear.
This group is indeed dangerous, KST not only scares the public with threats and propaganda, sometimes they also launch hot lead on civilians. KST previously also set fire to heavy equipment belonging to PT Wijaya Karya (WIKA) which was building a road from Oksibil to Towe Hitam. The action taken by KST was related to the arrest of two people carrying five weapons from Papua New Guinea.
In addition, Dandim 1715/Yakuhimo Lt. Col. Inf. Christian Irreuw said that KST had also exchanged fire with the officers. One of the soldiers from Infantry Battalion 403/WP who is a member of the border security task force was injured by a recoset of a bullet fired in his right arm. However, the soldier’s condition is still stable.
Papua’s problems, both in terms of development and security, continue to receive attention from the central government. The central government remains focused on building while the security forces remain on standby to guard Papua to the border areas.
