Rega K. | Papuan Observer
Papua now has a new Special Autonomy Law (Otsus). President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has signed Law Number 2 of 2021 on Special Autonomy for Papua on July 19, 2022 in Jakarta. Previously, the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR-RI) also first approved the revision of the Papua Special Autonomy Law through the Plenary Meeting forum at the DPR-RI building, Senayan, Jakarta, on July 15, 2021.
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“The ratification of the Papua Special Autonomy Law is a new hope, as a legal instrument whose goal is to prosper the Papuan people”
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The Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri), Tito Karnavian said that he was grateful for the results of long hard work, appreciation for the DPR. Papua Special Autonomy has been running for 20 years, many things have been achieved, but there are many things that need to be improved, one of which is the uneven development of inter-city districts in Papua and West Papua Provinces.
The chairman of the Special Committee for the Revision of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua, Komarudin Watubun, stated that the ratification of the Revision of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua became a law after hearing all inputs from the Papuan people to improve welfare and development in the next 20 years.
Papua Governor Lukas Enembe through his spokesman, Muhammad Rifai Darus also appreciated the performance of the DPR and the Central Government in formulating the new Papua Special Autonomy Law. Governor Lukas hopes that the Central Government and Regional Governments can have the same understanding regarding the implementation of the Law. So, there is no difference in the application of the rule.
Rifai said that the governor expected all relevant parties to remain in the corridor of the same allies in order to create a common perspective in order to make Papua’s special autonomy policy a strategic and efficient instrument in solving a number of problems on Earth of Cenderawasih in a comprehensive and dignified manner.
Meanwhile, a senior Papuan figure, Michael Manufandu, appreciated the performance of the Special Committee of the DPR RI which had revised the Papua Special Autonomy Law. According to him, the Special Autonomy Law for Papua is an effort to improve the welfare of the Papuan people within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). The Special Autonomy Law is also a law on welfare for the Papuan people.
There are several new things that are included in the revised Papua Special Autonomy Law. Among them is an article which states that the President of the Republic of Indonesia will establish a special agency for the development of Papua. The agency is led directly by the Vice President with members from a number of cabinet ministers and it is also hoped that there will be representatives of senior Papuan figures who have long experience in managing the Papuan people.
The names of the members of the special agency will be announced directly by President Joko Widodo to coincide with the celebration of the 76th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia at the State Palace, Jakarta, and this special agency – whose secretariat is in Papua – is directly responsible to the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
