Jakarta, wapresri.go.id – After paying a five-day working visit to four provinces in Papua land, namely Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, and West Papua, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin was impressed by the enthusiasm and optimism of the Papuan people to build a more prosperous, just, and peaceful Papua.

“I went around five places (Jayapura, Merauke, Mimika, Kaimana, and Biak Numfor). I got the impression that the enthusiasm of the people was there, including in Biak, to make Papua more prosperous, just and peaceful,” said the Vice President during a meeting with the Papuan Regional Secretary, Regent of Biak Numfor, Traditional Leaders, and the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of Papua Province and Biak Numfor Regency, at Parai Beach, Biak Numfor, Papua, Friday (02/12/2022).

Moreover, continued the Vice President, he had directly listened to messages, reflections, and hopes from the religious leaders, traditional leaders, and community to strengthen national brotherhood in the Papua land.

“I also feel the social strength of Papua which is based on religious ties, customs, and good leadership of the local government,” he added.

With this social capital, said the Vice President, as Chair of the Papua Steering Committee (BPP) he would strengthen collaboration, including with the church community through the Communion of Churches (PGG) and the indigenous people in Papua.

“Yesterday I have met some of them through the Religious Coordination Forum (FKUB) in Jayapura. Likewise, I notice the importance of indigenous people in mapping customary rights to ensure the certainty of the legal and local community-based business collaboration,” he said.

In addition, during a working visit that he mentioned as “Tawaf” in the easternmost region of Indonesia, the Vice President said that he had personally witnessed various technocratic breakthroughs made by the government, local champions, community leaders, and business sector in Papua.

“I appreciate the strong desire of the people to develop locally high competitive commodities such as coffee in Papua Pegunungan Region, rice in Merauke, herbs and spices in Fakfak and Kaimana, and fish in Biak. And I have asked the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to maintain Biak Regent, so that it can export fish products directly from Biak to Japan and the United States,” he said.

In addition, the Vice President mentioned that he supported the Sail Cendrawasih and Great Bomberay Peninsula policies promoted by the Papuan people.

“There are two sails, namely Cendrawasih and Great Bomberay. In this regard, I also see the importance of connectivity and infrastructure as a socio-economic backbone in the Papua land,” he explained.

Including, continued the Vice President, the importance of educational infrastructure to support the Papuan children to have complete compulsory education.

“I want them to at least graduate from junior high school,” he pleaded.

In addition, the Vice President also emphasized that the new provinces in Papua required a new master plan for the integrated transportation system as part of the new Trans Papua scenario.

“As an example, it is necessary to discuss the map of Biak Mumfor as a new international hub that is directly connected to the Pacific region,” he said.

Finally, on this occasion, the Vice President emphasized that the establishment of the new autonomous regions (DOB) had to become a game changer in accelerating the development of Papua.

“I hope that the new provinces will be more efective in accelerating service and development, especially for the indigenous Papuans,” he concluded. (EP/LHS-BPMI Setwapres)