Indonesia serious about advancing prosperity in Papua

The Government of Indonesia is fully aware of the problems existing in its easternmost province of Papua and has taken steps to reduce the gap and eliminate the feelings of injustice felt by the residents of the province.

The scarcely populated regions in the province do not seem to be at par with the rest of the country in terms of economic and social development, but the government is serious about advancing prosperity there.

During a joint press conference held with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at the Merdeka Palace on Monday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stated that the government was sincere and serious about advancing prosperity in Papua.

“To the Australian Prime Minister, I say that the Indonesian policy to manage Papua is very clear, for we take the approach of welfare, justice and democracy,” the President said.

The head of state further pointed out that Papua was the region to which the highest development funds had been allocated in Indonesia, although there were local and structural problems that had to be managed well.

“Indonesia is a democratic country, and the problems in Papua are part of democracy because the region is an integral part of Indonesia. Indonesia`s sovereignty covers Papua as well,” Yudhoyono noted.

On the occasion, Yudhoyono also extended his gratitude for the Australian government`s statement regarding the country`s respect for Indonesia`s sovereignty.

“One thing is clear that Indonesia will take full responsibility to overcome the problems in Papua properly and wisely,” he went on.

Meanwhile, the Australian Prime Minister also appeased Indonesian sensitivities by taking an unusually tough line against protesters in Australia agitating for independence of the Indonesian territory of Papua.

“The government of Australia takes a very dim view… of anyone seeking to use our country as a platform for grandstanding against Indonesia. We will do everything that we possibly can to discourage this and prevent this,” Abbott said.

He also the admired Indonesian Government`s efforts to improve the autonomy and life of the people of West Papua.

The Australian Prime Minister stated that he believed that the people in West Papua could lead a better life and have a better future as an integral part of Indonesian nation.

The people of Papua were yet to enjoy the fruits of development and therefore felt isolated, Velix Wanggai, President Yudhoyono`s special aide for regional development and autonomy had said in August.

He added that the feeling of injustice with regards to economic and social gaps had been further exploited by the outlawed Free Papua Organisation (OPM), which had incited a fight for independence.

According to Wanggai, backwardness, disappointment, and dissatisfaction of the people of Papua had served as ammunition to incite resistance against the government.

However, Marinus Yaung, an international law and political observer at the Cenderawasih University (Uncen) opined that a peaceful dialogue between Papua and Jakarta was the best possible solution for the problems of Papua.

“We agree that Papua-Jakarta Dialogue will help solve the problem in Papua,” Yaung said in Jayapura recently.

He noted that the problem in Papua was not limited to economic and social development; but was a political problem that had to be solved through peaceful dialogue with Jakarta.

Meanwhile, a hearing of the People`s Assemblies of Papua`s two provinces–Papua and West Papua–at the end of July had indicated that the majority of people in Papua were in favor of a dialogue.

Therefore, the Director of the Democracy Alliance for Papua (ALDP) Latifah Anum Siregar said that all stakeholders in the region should support the Papua People`s Assembly (MRP) in recommending a Papua-Jakarta dialogue immediately.

“The regional administrations of Papua and West Papua, the regional legislative assemblies, and people of the two provinces should support MRP`s recommendations,” added Siregar.

Meanwhile, Manokwari-based Institute of Research, Analysis and Development for Legal Aid (LP3BH) Director Yan Christian Warinussy had noted in August that the Papuan people had repeatedly urged Jakarta to open a peaceful, neutral and transparent dialog, facilitated by a third party in a neutral place.

Such a dialog had long been called for, but the Papua People`s Council (MRP) and West Papua People`s Council (MRPB) had only shown appreciation for the call and given their recommendations now, he said.

“Therefore, LP3BH of Manokwari, which serves as an advocate for human rights in Papua, had urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono not to close the door for a proposed Papua-Jakarta dialog in 2013,” Warinussy stated.

He said the proposed dialog should be held immediately, adding there was no reason for a delay.

Warinussy further stated that so far no response or appreciation had been shown despite the offer to facilitate a dialog with a system universally acceptable by the Papua Peace Networks.

As a result of the hearings held by official institutions, such as the MRP and MRPB, Jakarta was expected to react favorably to a proposed Papua-Jakarta dialog before the general elections in 2014, he added.

“A Papua-Jakarta dialog should be held to honor the aspirations of the 99 percent majority of the Papuan people,” he pointed out.

The MRP-MRPB hearing, which evaluated the implementation of the Law on Special Autonomy in the two provinces, had issued a number of recommendations including the holding of a Papua-Jakarta Dialog.

Supporters of the move are being drawn from youth organizations in Papua for immediate implementation of the proposed dialog.

Source: ANTARA News

Economic gap seen as cause of security problem in Papua

Economic and social gap is the root cause of persistent security problem in Papua, Velix Wanggai, a special staff of the president on regional autonomy, said.

The problem has to be sorted out through comprehensive approaches to create peace in the rebellious region, Velix said when accompanying President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on a working visit in this Central Java district on Thursday (21/2).

Velix made the statement when asked to comment on the incident earlier that day when eight soldiers were killed in Papua shot at by armed gangs of rebels.

He said feeling of injustice by local people over economic and social gap between Papua and the rest of the country was exploited by the rebels to incite the fight for independence led by the outlawed Free Papua Organization (OPM).

Papua has not enjoyed the fruit of development and felt being isolated from the rest of the country, he said.

Papua is known to be rich in natural resources with large mineral reserves of copper, gold, silver and oil.

Papua hold the country`s largest reserves of copper, gold and natural gas but ironically the scarcely populated region remains lagging behind the rest of the country in economic development.

“The backwardness, disappointment and dissatisfaction serve as an ammunition to incite resistance against the government,” Velix said.

The resistance movement is concentrated in isolated areas like Puncak Jaya regency, he added.

He said the government is fully aware of the problem and what has caused the problem, therefore, steps have been taken to remove the gap and reduce the feelings of injustice.

In the past 10 years, the government has tried to create more effective bureaucracy by splitting regencies such as Jaya Wijaya regency into 10 regencies, he pointed out.

The purpose is to get the district administrations closer to the people in the vast region, he said.

In addition, the government has built new infrastructure such as roads and airports to facilitate transport, he added.

He said the policy of naming local leaders having good knowledge of the areas and familiar with the local culture should be maintained.

Source: ANTARA News

Govt to raise budget allocations for Papua

The government will raise the amount of general allocation funds for mountainous districts in Indonesia`s eastern-most province of Papua next year, a presidential aide said.

“The government will always make an effort to lower the high cost of living in Papua`s hinterland by building new roads, strengthening an integrated transportation system, introducing an incentive system and applying a proper budget design,” Velix Wanggai, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s special aide for regional development and autonomy, said here on Wednesday (05/12).

Velix Wanggai said budget allocations for educational, health, and economic sectors and basic infrastructure in the districts will also be raised.

Under the 2013 state budget, special autonomy funds for Papua and West Papua have been set at Rp4.3 trillion and Rp1.8 trillion respectively, he said.

“The government will also raise extra funds for development of infrastructure facilities in Papua and West Papua by Rp1 trillion each. The President wants the budget allocations to be used for activities badly needed by the local people,” he said.

He noted that in the past five years both provinces have made significant progress as reflected by rising human development index, improving life expectancy rate, and declining unemployment rate.

Papua`s and West Papua`s poverty rate also declined to 31.11 percent and 28.20 percent respectively from 36 percent previously, he said.

“Although at national level the two provinces have the highest poverty rate, they have made significant progress during the past five years,” he said.

Velix said in the next two years President Yudhoyono will strengthen the foundation of the Papua provincial government by consolidating special autonomy for the province.

“Special autonomy is a win-win solution agreed upon by the people of Papua and the government. Elsewhere in the world special autonomy is a solution to any conflict,” he said.

Source: ANTARA News

Govt trying to Bring Papua in Harmony with Unitary State of Indonesia

The situation in Jayapura city, in particular, and Papua Province, in general, seems to be peaceful, after being hit by random shooting incidents committed by unknown people.

Police personnel and military troops, however, are still stationed at several spots in Jayapura.

The security situation was quite worrying last weekend following the death of Mako Tabuni, one of the coordinators of the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB). Some mourners went on a crime spree, burning shops, cars and other motor vehicles, as well as torturing people in Waena, Jayapura.

Tabuni died after being shot by police, who were trying to arrest him for his alleged involvement in recent shooting incidents in Jayapura and surrounding areas.

In response to a series of shooting incidents and violence in Papua, the Indonesian government has reiterated its commitment to pursuing an approach of focusing on the welfare of the community, instead of a military approach, to deal with problems in the country`s eastern most province.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Djoko Suyanto, reaffirmed the non-military approach when meeting with community and religious leaders and members of the Papuan Legislative Council (DPRP) and the Papuan People Assembly (MRP) in Jayapura, the capital of Papua, on June 18.

He stated that the government hoped to “bring Papua into harmony with the Unitary State of Indonesia (NKRI)”.

“Until now, the approach used is welfare and not military, because a military approach is only useful for dealing with crimes,” Djoko said.

Minister Djoko began a working visit to Papua on Monday (June 18), along with Chief of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Admiral Agus Suhartono, National Police Chief General Timur Pradopo and Chief of National Intelligence Agency Marciano Norman.

On Tuesday afternoon (June 19), he was scheduled to travel to Timika, Mimika District, where the US copper and gold mining company PT Freeport, often a target of sporadic shootings, is located.

Papua has been given a special autonomy status, but the implementation of the development programs have not yet met public expectations, although the government set up the Papua and West Papua Development Acceleration Unit (UP4B) in 2012 to boost developments on the Papua island.

Velix Wanggai, a presidential special staff member in charge of regional development and autonomy, said in a press statement in Jakarta on Sunday (June 17) that the government remains committed to developing Papua into a land of peace, as declared by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2004.

President Yudhoyono is pursuing peaceful approaches and dialogs to solve the problems in Papua, according to Velix.

The government has a comprehensive design consisting of five points on Papua, including affirming Indonesia`s unitary state while respecting Papua`s diversity and uniqueness; optimizing Papua’s status as a special autonomous region; pursuing affirmative policies to recognize the basic rights of Papua people, such as access to education; designing strategies, policies, funding and programs to promote development and empower the Papua people; and promoting human rights as well as preventing violence.

Before leaving for the G20 Summit in Mexico last week, Yudhoyono asked Minister Djoko to examine the cause of problems in Papua that have led to a number of recent violent incidents in the region.

With regard to cases linked to separatism, he said, they were against the law and would be dealt with according to the law. Yudhoyono added that the law of the country also applied to Papua and there was no discrimination involved.

He told his ministers that although security disruptions in Papua could be categorized as small-scale incidents, the government would not ignore the loss of lives and take action immediately.

Over the last several months, Indonesia`s easternmost province of Papua has seen random shootings in various locations. The latest shooting incident occurred at the University of Cendrawasih`s campus on Sunday evening (June 10).

On June 5, unidentified people shot three people, identified as Iqbal Rifai, aged 22, a resident of Hamadi Pasar; Hardi Jayanto, aged 22, a resident of Klolfkam; and First Private Frangki Kune, aged 25, resident of the Waena Combat Engineering Corps station.

Arwan, a civil servant of the XXVII Cenderawasih Military Regional Command Headquarters, was shot by unknown gunman and later died while being treated for his wound at a local hospital on June 6.

On May 29, 2012, German national Pieter Dietmar Helmut (55) was shot at the Base G beach in Jayapura. Several days later, the wounded German tourist was evacuated to a Singapore hospital.

Minister Djoko condemned the recent shootings of civilians, foreigners, military and police personnel in Papua. “The acts were against the efforts aimed at creating peace in Papua and accelerating development programs in the region,” he told the press.

“The security personnel are investigating and studying the case. Such violence must be stopped. The local police and TNI must find the perpetrators,” the minister said.

During a hearing with the Parliament on Monday, Marciano Norman, the head of the National Intelligence Agency (BIN), Indonesia`s intelligence agency, said that a separatist group called the Free Papua Movement (OPM) was behind the recent shootings in Papua.

In order to stop shooting incidents, the Indonesian Papuan University Students Movement (GMPI) has requested that local police again compile an inventory of gun ownership by civilians in Indonesia`s eastern most province of Papua.

Further, security authorities must address security problems by establishing an inventory of firearms ownership in Papua, GMPI Chairman Habelino S Sawaki said in Jayapura recently.

Sawaki said he believed that guns had been smuggled into Papua over the Papua and Papua New Guinea border. The border stretches some 800 km and is guarded by four battalions of soldiers.

“With only four battalions guarding the border, it`s easy to smuggle in guns,” Habelino said.

He urged the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and the National Police to deal with shooting incidents in order to create peace in Papua. He also asked the Papuan people to help security officers maintain security and peace.

Source: ANTARA News

Govt has comprehensive design on Papua

The government remains committed to developing Papua into a land of peace as declared by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2004.

President Yudhoyono is pursuing peaceful and dignified approaches and dialogs to solve the problems in Papua, Velix Wanggai, a presidential special staff in charge of regional development and autonomy, said in a press statement here Sunday (17/06).

The head of state always reminded ministers, police and military chiefs to manage Papua with conscience, and not to think “business as usual”. They must make a breakthrough and think outside the box in handling Papua.

Since President Yudhoyono was reappointed as the president for the second term in October 2009, the government has been committed to solving problems in Papua.

The government has a comprehensive design consisting of five points on Papua, namely affirming Indonesia`s unitary state while respecting Papua`s diversity and uniqueness; optimizing the Papua status as a special autonomous region; pursuing affirmative policies to recognize the basic rights of Papua people such as access to education; designing strategies, policies, fundings and programs to promote development and empower the Papua people; and promoting the human rights as well as preventing violence.

Source: ANTARA News

President establishes a unit to settle conflict in Papua

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has established a special unit to settle conflict in Papua, said presidential special staff for regional autonomy Velix Wanggai on Saturday (29/10).

The team is named the Unit for the Acceleration of Development in Papua and West Papua (UP4B).

“The team was led by Bambang Darmono (former commander for military operations in Aceh),” Velix said. Bambang, who is also the former secretary general of the National Defense Council, would be assigned to formulate the change in Papua and to build constructive communications between central and regional administrations.

“The team is ready to accelerate development, chop down bottlenecks between the central and local governments and initiate breakthroughs to solve socioeconomic and political problems in Papua,” Velix said.

“We hope the unit can bridge aspiration of Papuans and the government,” said Velix.

The Jayapura-born presidential aide explained that the team would initiate the “new deal for Papua”, saying the deal could spark a transformation in the way the government dealt with Papua.

According to Velix, the new deal would embrace the local Papuans by inciting dialogue with strategic groups in the region.

Velix said the UP4B would have a specific department assigned to supervise the use of Papua’s special autonomy funds to strengthen the budget’s control and evaluation system, “This would ensure that the money was being spent according to [Papua’s special autonomy] blueprint.”

The autonomy funds for Papua jumped into the spotlight following the government’s decision to increase the 2012 budget allocation for Papua by 23 percent. In the 2012 budget, the provinces of West Papua and Papua would receive Rp 1.64 trillion (US$186.96 million) and Rp 3.8 trillion, respectively; which are significant increases from this year’s budget, which allotted the two provinces Rp 1.33 trillion and Rp 3.1 trillion, respectively.

In line with the UP4B’s objective to strengthen supervision of Papua’s special autonomy funds, a House Commission I lawmaker from Papua, Paskalis Kossay, agreed that the government should impose stricter controls and thoroughly evaluate how this year’s funds were used, citing the fact that the Supreme Audit Agency found indications that Rp 4.12 trillion of the Rp 19.12 trillion in special autonomy funds for Papua and West Papua between 2000 and 2010 may have been misused or embezzled.

In August, the International Crisis Group (ICG) urged the UP4B to start its work quickly in Papua, citing the special team’s massive authority that allowed it to address not only issues relating to Papua’s development, but also more sensitive problems such as land, conflict and human rights.(*wpnn)

President asks military, police to ensure security in Papua

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked the Indonesian military and police to give security guarantee to businesses and investments in Papua as part of efforts to accelerate economic development in the country`s easternmost province.

One of the keys to encouraging the growth of private businesses and investments in Papua was creating a tranquil and comfortable climate, the President was quoted by his special aide for regional development and autonomy Velix V. Wanggai as saying on 15/5.

The private businesses and investments in Papua served as the main agents in accelerating the growth of the local people`s economy, he said.

“The President has always encouraged the implementation of a master plan for expansion and acceleration of the Indonesian economy. Papua is one of the socio-economic corridors besides Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and Kalimantan,” he said.

Asked to comment on security around PT Freeport Indonesia`s mining area at Mimika, Velix said the President had learnt views from the management of the gold and copper mining company.

In responding to the views, the President had given directives to the National Defence Forces (TNI) and Police (Polri) leaderships to maintain the existing conducive situations in Papua, he said.

He said TNI Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono`s and Police Chief General Timur Pradopo`s visits in Timika, Merauke and Jayapura, Papua, was a manifestation of the two state institutions` commitment to preserving security stability in the province.

“I am pleased that the TNI and Polri chiefs could come to Papua. The visit of the two leaders has of course given great meaning to the two institutions, ranging from the lowest, medium to highest levels in dealing with various issues in Papua,” he said.

To ensure stable security conditions in Papua, he said the President underscored the importance of establishing good communication and coordination among the ranks and files of the regional government.

Source: Antara News

Indonesian Government to Set Up Economic Hub

Future investors expected to be provided with enough information.

New economic hub is underway in Indonesia as the government plans to accelerate and expand the national development. Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa will address the Working Meeting on the Acceleration and Expansion of National Economic Development about the masterplan on February 21-22.

Six economic corridors are being prepared such as, “Sumatra and northern West Java, northern North Coast of Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Papua, eastern Java and Nusa Tenggara,” said Presidential adviser on Provincial Development and Autonomy, Velix Wanggai, today in a press release.

The Indonesian government expects the governors of the said provinces pay serious attention to their administration by presenting enough information to future investors.

Source: VIVAnews.com