The Highland Papua Province was officiated by Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian on November 12, 2022, along with Central Papua and South Papua, which are all carved from Papua Province.
One of the most essential aspects that could bolster the province’s consolidation is public support, which has been evident since the province's founding, and continues until now at the moment when support from the public is direly needed.
The support has been conveyed by the people through various ways, including through the granting of 72 hectares of land by residents of Walesi Village, Jayawijaya District, to the provincial authority without demanding any financial compensation.
Highland Papua regional secretary Sumule Tumbo lauded the residents' support to the provincial authority. He said that the residents understood that the new province would benefit them and hence they took the decision to grant the land.
Tumbo also reiterated the local authority's commitment to fulfilling any demand they requested in return, including their request for their children be employed as the provincial apparatus.
“We lauded the residents’ step (of support), and we will accommodate anything they request, particularly as we are focusing the recruitment of our state apparatus on the local Papuan people,” the regional secretary stated.
Meanwhile, the province's Yahukimo District head, Didimus Yahuli, expressed hope that establishment of Highland Papua would aid in empowering the local population and realizing economic prosperity.
“We also hope that the new autonomous region will accelerate development in all aspects to ensure the people will directly benefit from it,” Yahuli stated.
The local authority will make all-out efforts to enhance the people’s well-being, including by facilitating the use of village funds to improve village infrastructure, he stressed.
The district head noted that the village fund is mostly used to develop an airstrip -- Papua’s underdeveloped road networks make air transport the most effective mode -- as well as renovate residents’ homes, which is conducted on a rotational basis among neighbors.
“New autonomous provinces make the Papua region, earlier divided only to two provinces despite its size being three-and-a-half times of Java, to have four provinces carved from Papua Province and two provinces from the West Papua Province,” he stated.
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Preparing for the 2024 Elections
Apart from the need to consolidate the province’s regional administration, the new local authority must also prepare the province for the 2024 General Elections that will take place next year.
Tumbo affirmed that residents are ready to participate in the “fiesta of democracy” in 2024, as they have coordinated with the General Elections Commission (KPU), particularly the Papua KPU, to arrange elections in Highland Papua.
“Our ‘homework’ as a new province will be gradually realized and implemented, including (preparations for) the 2024 General Elections,” the regional secretary stated.
Meanwhile, Papua KPU commissioner Adam Arisoy, who is responsible for elections in Highland Papua, said that the new province would have eight electoral districts.
The eight electoral districts in Highland Papua correspond to its administrative districts of Jayawijaya, Lanny Jaya, Tolikara, Nduga, Central Mamberamo, Yalimo, Pegunungan Bintang, and Yahukimo.
However, the number of legislators allocated for the district in the House of Representatives (DPR RI) and regional legislatures is still under consideration, he added.
The Papua KPU and the coordinator for Highland Papua KPU continue to coordinate with the local authority to ensure the success of the 2024 elections in the new province.
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Security Issues
One of the most urgent issues in the Papua region is the security issue, on account of the fact that the province is a hotbed of armed criminal groups, which requires a firm yet humane response to ensure residents’ lives will not be harmed.
The role of regional leaders will be essential to reduce criminal activities, particularly as some local leaders have a familial bond with the criminals, Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius Fakhiri said.
Tapping into familial bonds might help regional leaders approach criminals and convince them to abandon their activities, he emphasized.
“Hence, their roles are expected to realize security and peace in the region,” Fakhiri stated.
Meanwhile, the establishment of Highland Papua Province is also expected to accelerate the creation of new jobs for the people, thereby elevating their well-being and economic status.
Fakhiri underscored the urgency of creating new jobs since their shortage might be a factor that draws the youth to join criminal activities, especially since a lot of criminal group members were found to be below 25 years of age.
“The Police expect regional leaders and their officials, particularly those in vulnerable areas, to ensure development proceeds according to the timetable,” the inspector general remarked.
He said that the local police force has mapped regions with vulnerability to armed conflicts in the Papuan region. They have classified nine regions with high vulnerability, where security has been enhanced by the presence of the Peace Cartenz Task Force.
In Highland Papua, the regions are Yahukimo, Pegunungan Bintang, Nduga, and Jawayijaya districts. Meanwhile, Jayapura City in Papua Province and Puncak, Dogiyai, Intan Jaya, and Mimika districts in Central Papua Province are also classified as vulnerable areas.
Establishing new provinces in Papua is expected to bolster the efforts to realize prosperity for the Papuan people, and efforts must be enhanced to consolidate the new provincial authorities to ensure they can begin serving the people effectively.
Emphasizing the prosperity approach for the local population will bolster efforts to realize regional development planned by the local authority. Moreover, maintaining security conditions is also a prerequisite to ensure the public remain calm that could motivate them to support and contribute to their region’s development.
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Translator: Evarukdijati, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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