The Vice Minister of Home Affairs, John Wempi Wetipo, stressed that the three New Autonomous Region of Papua is part of an effort in improving the welfare of indigineous Papua. Through the establishment of the New Autonomous Region, the government aims to accelarate various developments in Papua.
This is also part of the implementation of Law No. 2 of 2021 regarding Special Autonomy for the Papua Province. Currently the three new provinces are about to be formed in Papua, namely South Papua Province, Central Papua, and Papua Mountains.
Wempi pointed out that Papua is large, thus it makes the development in coastal and mountains region is inconsistent, which creates a problem of inequality in welfare and infrastructure. Therefore, with the three new autonomous region, it is hoped that there would be a significant positive changes in Papua.
“The purpose of the three New Autonomous Region is for the government able to accelerate the development and improving the welfare of Papuans,” said Wempi in a national television program, Wednesday (10/12).
He said that the President has also issued a policy to build road connectivity in Papua so there would be no isolated region anymore. Road access is definitely important due to its role in connecting regions, which affects the price of supplies in those region due to the difficulty in transporting it. In Mountainous Papua regions itself, they only had aerial access, and the president aimed to make a land access for the mountainous regions.
“So, the three New Autonomous Region will bring a significant change in Papua, especially in the mountainous region who now is about to be its own province,” said Wempi.
Wempi adds that the suggestion of the new autonomous region in Papua actually has been conveyed since 1999. He himself saw the Papuan Central Mountains Regents Association asked the president to form a new province for Papua in 2019. They believed that this step would open an access for the issolated regions in Papua, one of which are the Papua Central Mountains.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Home Affairs also had their own roadmap in improving the welfare of Papuans after the formation of the three New Autonomous Region in Papua. He revealed that various efforts have been carried out by the Ministry in supporting the three New Autonomous Regions, including preparing the inauguration of the new provinces while also inaugurating its governors.
Wempi invites the Papuans and all parties to actively join in developing the three New Autonomous Regions. With that, the community will have a sense of responsibility in realizing a fair system in Papua, as in accordance with the 5th precepts of Pancasila.