"The creation of new job opportunities is a serious matter in Biak Numfor District for which policies must be devised to open new job opportunities for Papuan natives," Biak Customary Council member Obet Ap stated here on Friday.
Biak people and the customary society expect the authority to create new jobs for them, he remarked.
Obet pointed out that despite an increase in the number of high school graduates in Biak Numfor District, job opportunities in the region were scarce.
He urged relevant authorities, including the regional parliament legislators, to inform the regional authority, the military and police, as well as other stakeholders about the Biak people's aspirations and concerns.
"A special regulation on (affirmative action) to recruit Papuan natives as military or police officers must also be devised," Obet noted.
The council member then expressed optimism that the creation of new autonomous regions in Papua would guarantee new job opportunities for native Papuans.
Meanwhile, another Biak Customary Council member, Mananwir Pondayar, urged the Biak Numfor District and Papua provincial authorities to be heedful of the native Papuans' rights, including ensuring jobs for them.
"Government programs are expected to provide job opportunities for Biak's youth," he remarked.
Biak Numfor District's National and Political Unity Agency head, Yermis Rumbiak, also drew emphasis to the government's consistent adherence to Law No. 2 of 2021 on Special Autonomy to ensure the prosperity of Papuans.
Earlier, Papua People's Representative Council (DPRP) member Yohanis Ronsumbre vowed to accommodate all aspirations and grievances voiced by the residents of Biak Numfor during the recent hearing meeting on Thursday (May 5).
"As the representatives of the customary society in DPRP, I affirm my commitment to accommodate all aspirations voiced by residents (that are essential) as inputs for the government in devising special regional regulations," Ronsumbre stated.
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Translator: Muhsidin, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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