Meira R. | Papuan Observer
Senior Papuan figure Michael Manufandu appreciates the performance of the Special Committee of the DPR RI which has revised Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy (Otsus) for Papua. 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 a law on reconciliation, a law on peace and is also a law on welfare for the Papuan people”
Manufandu, who is now entrusted with the government’s advisory for Papua affairs, said that all parties must give appreciation and respect for the achievements of the Special Committee of the DPR RI. The material for the revision of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua is considered to have been very well prepared in terms of the government bureaucracy, in terms of government law and in terms of the politics of the Papuan people.
Manufandu, who also joined in drafting the material for Law Number 21 of 2001, said that initially the government only wanted three articles to be revised, namely Article 1 concerning the basis for regional expansion, then Article 34, and Article 76. Number 21 of 2001 became 19 articles, with the addition of two additional articles.
Manufandu said that the revised articles were very democratic. The point is how to improve the welfare of the Papuan people. The essence of the new Papua Special Autonomy Law is to clarify, add and sharpen so that local governments have the freedom together with the central government to build a more prosperous Papuan people.
There is one new thing that is included in the revised Papua Special Autonomy Law, which is to order the President of the Republic of Indonesia to form an advisory body for the development of Papua. The agency is led directly by the Vice President with members from a number of cabinet ministers as well as senior Papuan figures who have long experience in managing the Papuan people.
The names of the members of the Papua Development Advisory Board 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 body is directly responsible to the President of the Republic of Indonesia. Manufandu said that no matter how good the revision of the Papua Special Autonomy Law was, its implementation really depended on the leaders in Papua.
Furthermore, Manufandu stated that leadership is very important in the future because the leader must be able to educate and guide the people. Papuan leaders must be able to convince the Papuan people that they are Indonesian citizens from Papua, they are an integral part of the Indonesian population. These leaders are now being held accountable for building Papua in Indonesia and for building Indonesia in Papua.
The House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia ratified the revision of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua in a decision plenary session of level II at the DPR RI building, Senayan, Jakarta on Thursday (15/7). The chairman of the Special Committee for Revision of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua, Komarudin Watubun, claims that the ratification of the Revised Papua Special Autonomy Law into a law has heard all inputs from the Papuan people to improve welfare and development in the next 20 years.
Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian said that the ratification of the Revision of the Special Autonomy Law for Papua must be carried out, because Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Otsus Papua will expire in 2021, while acceleration of development in Papua is still needed.
