The government has long been involved in development efforts in Papua as a means of addressing conflicts in the region. Recently, the central government established the Master Plan for Acceleration of Papua Development, reflecting the government’s approach to resolving disputes in Papua.
Therefore, there is a need for a shared understanding through the recognition of civil, political, economic, and socio-cultural rights, strengthening education for awareness of rights, and enhancing cultural strategies by revitalizing the local language and improving the quality of young human resources through indigenous and national education.
This was discussed in a focus group discussion (FGD) titled “60 Years of Integration: Reassessing Development Approaches for Peace in Papua,” held on Tuesday (13/6) at the UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol).
The discussion was initiated by the faculty’s Papua Task Force and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (MoFA) during the signing of a cooperation agreement between the faculty and the Center for Special Issue Policy Strategy and Data Analysis, MoFA.
“When discussing Papua, it is not just about discourse; we need a shared understanding and a clear framework, and all processes should be discussed,” said the Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources of Fisipol, Dr. Nurhadi Susanto.
“We do so with the hope that the development gap and the noble goals of the constitution can be realized soon. Fisipol is ready to collaborate to unravel the problems in Papua.”
Head of the Foreign Policy Strategy Division, MoFA, Dr. Yayan G. H. Mulyana, stressed the importance of involving experts and communities in resolving conflicts in Papua.
“We are eager to hear input, suggestions, and views in finding the root causes of the problems in Papua and providing solutions.”
Secretary of the UGM Papua Task Force, Dr. Arie Ruhyanto, mentioned that violence in Papua has increased amidst the government’s intensive development efforts. This situation is exacerbated by the relatively more organized Free Papua Movement (OPM) through culture, social actions, foreign political activities, weaponry, and even NGO activists. The development approach in Papua, aimed at achieving peace, potentially becomes a paradox for peace itself.
“The peace approach in development can easily slide and bring provisions or economic growth, which automatically triggers the influx of migrants due to economic opportunities. We must admit that the Indigenous Papuans can still not compete fully with migrants. The development approach actually shows marginalization for the Indigenous Papuans,” Dr. Ruhyanto said.
In the development process, Arie emphasized the importance of the relational capacity for the Papuan community to be territorially, socially, and economically integrated with Indonesia. Therefore, the reinstrumentation of development in Papua should bring dignity, pride, justice, fairness, honor, equality, and humanity.
Dr. Laksmi Adriani Savitri, a researcher from the Bentala Rakyat Foundation, highlighted that one of the root causes of conflicts in Papua is the colonial culture that enforces imposed modernity. This forced modernization leads to hidden resistance or matohale, such as passive rejection and high school dropouts among the Papuan community.
It is not uncommon for certain indigenous groups to exploit development in Papua for their own benefit. Therefore, what is crucial and remains a blind spot in government policies is the recognition of structural efforts.
“We present Cultural Decolonization (acculturation). Cultural acculturation has been implemented through initiatives by young Papuans in sustainable agriculture, music festivals focusing on the environment, and more. This process aims to achieve dignified cultural recognition,” she explained.
She believed that recognition efforts could be carried out by recognizing civil, political, economic, and socio-cultural rights. Additionally, it is necessary to repeal development policies that marginalize Indigenous Papuans and strengthen education for awareness of rights.
Regarding strategic cultural policies, revitalizing and reviving the local language, promoting the improvement of young human resources through indigenous and national education, and nurturing rituals and knowledge that reconnect humans and nature are essential.
Professor Melkias Hetharia from the Faculty of Law, Universitas Cenderawasih Papua, discussed that human rights violations in Papua had become a collective dark memory referred to as memoria passionis. This memoria passionis evokes unpleasant feelings of sadness, anger, disappointment, apathy, and suspicion towards government development projects.
Melkias also emphasized four root problems in Papua: the distortion of integration history, human rights violations, marginalization, and development disparities, all rooted in the ideology of the Free Papua Movement.
“I see these four root problems in Papua stemming from one fundamental issue: the ideology of the Free Papua Movement. Addressing this Free Papua Movement issue depends on resolving the existing root problems,” he concluded.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photo: Freepik