The flats, built on a total area of 780 square meters inside the military command compound's complex in Manokwari, the capital of West Papua Province, was inaugurated on June 2.
"We have been striving to improve the welfare of soldiers and their family members,"
Commander of the XVIII/Kasuari Regional Military Command Maj. Gen. I Nyoman Cantiasa stated.
As their commander, Cantiasa noted in a press statement that ANTARA quoted here, Friday, that he must do his utmost efforts to improve his soldiers' welfare.
Some 36 households will occupy the five flats. Each flat is equipped with two sleeping rooms, a guest room, a kitchen, and a bathroom.
One of the recipients of the flats is Major Yosep Hadiat, commandant for transportation detachment at the regional military command.
At the inaugural event, Hadiat was selected to receive the key for his unit.
Cantiasa noted that the soldiers receiving the flats are expected to build happy families and strengthen social cohesion among flat mates.
They are also demanded to keep their flats in a good and livable condition, he noted, adding that the sixth flat would be built in the near future.
Indonesian soldiers, stationed in Papua and West Papua, have demonstrated exemplary capability in maintaining peace and stability in both provinces for decades in their endeavors to safeguard the country's territorial integrity.
The soldiers are chiefly tasked with ensuring peace and stability in the country's easternmost provinces. Along with their colleagues from the National Police, they are entrusted with enforcing the law against armed terrorist groups.
They are, however, also requested to safeguard the government's development agenda in the provinces.
Papua and West Papua are, for instance, reeling from a shortage of teaching staff on account of the fact that native Papuans not just reside in coastal areas but also in the remote mountainous and hilly areas.
Consequently, the development of human resources in Papua and West Papua remains a tricky challenge, as the human development index of scores of these provinces remains lower than that of other Indonesian provinces.
Referring to Indonesia's 2019 human development index, the scores of Papua and West Papua were recorded at 64.7 and 60.84 respectively.
In dealing with this challenging reality, the soldiers, particularly those stationed near the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea (PNG) border areas, have frequently been assigned to serve as voluntary teachers at schools.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Genta TM, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
