Margareth S. Aritonang and Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The government has rejected criticism that it lacks coherent policies to deal with the volatile situation in Papua, saying that bringing peace to the region had become the main objective of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration.
An aide to Yudhoyono on regional autonomy and development, Velix Vernando Wanggai, said that bringing peace and resolving conflict were the primary objectives in dealing with the situation in the country's easternmost region.
"President SBY has always encouraged a peaceful and dignified approach in managing Papua. He always orders all relevant ministries and institutions, including the National Police and the Indonesian Military [TNI], to think outside the box when handling Papua, and not treat it as business as usual," Velix said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
He said recently the government had come up with four scenarios to build Papua "through a peace development" project. He said Papua would be part of the Papua-Maluku corridor of the government's Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Growth (MP3EI) program.
The plan also includes the modification of all regulations on Papua to match the Special Autonomy Program, the disbursement of more funds to improve the life of Papuans and the strengthening of all existing institutions in order to broaden opportunities for Papuans, women in particular, to be involved in civil and political institutions.
Velix said the plan was to answer all criticism of government policies toward Papua. "It does not feel right to accuse the government of not having the programs to develop Papua, because peace development has always been the guideline used by the government," he said.
The government, Velix added, would do more for Papua in the future, including renegotiating mining contracts with companies operating in the province. The central government has also given the opportunity to Papuans to be local leaders as well as adding around Rp 3 trillion (US$321 million) to the Rp 30 trillion budgets allocated for Papua and West Papua during 2012.
Meanwhile, research conducted by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) has revealed that the government has failed to economically empower most Papuans. The survey found that development projects had so far failed to provide education and health for native Papuans.
"We found that the government has focused on physical projects instead of on developing human resources through education, health, and safety," Adriana Elizabeth, who chairs a group of LIPI researchers on Papua, said over the weekend.