OMIKAMI-TV : Menko Polhukam Holds Press Conference on Policy on Handling and Resolving Terrorists in Papua and Poso

JAKARTA, (Indonesia) OMIKAMI-TV- Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Moh Mahfud MD said the government has two policies to solve problems in Papua, which includes the Provinces of Papua and West Papua.

This was revealed by The Minister of Polhukam during a press conference at the Office of the Ministry of Police Polhukam, Jakarta, (19/5/2021).

"The first is the policy in general, the second is the government's policy in dealing with the last situation," said The Minister of Police Polhukam.

Papua's general handling policy is to continue to adopt a welfare approach, a peaceful, nonviolent, and gunless approach. This policy has been stated in Impres number 9 of 2020 which contains instructions on handling Papua with welfare shortness through comprehensive and multidimensional development.

This policy, in its technical level, includes affirmations in the form of Special Autonomy Fund (Otsus fund) to affirmations in the field of politics and education.

Otsus funds in Papua, said The Minister of Polhukam, are given 2% of DAU and next year is planned to be 2.2% of DAU. "That means according to Mr. Rizal Ramli's calculations in a television show, approximately if averaged, spending for each Papuan is 17 times greater than the average for people outside Papua," said Menko Polhukam.

Then there are the special political opportunities that the government provides in the framework of affirmation. Among other things, governors and deputy governors in Papua and West Papua must be indigenous Papuans. This policy does not exist in other areas.

"The Papuan DPRD is also given a quota, that 25% must be indigenous Papuans. That's affirmation," said Mahfud MD.

In the field of education, the government also has a program Adik Papua or Saudara Papua. Papuans who want to enter the best universities in Indonesia can be accepted with special treatment. "Going to UI, ITB, UGM, Undip, Unhas, IPB, and so on, with just the recommendations and formality requirements of formal high school graduates, without taking a common test because given the data of the Program Brother Papua or we call it Adik Papua," said Menko Polhukam.

In terms of working in the government, said Mahfud MD, the President has also confirmed that all government agencies both central and regional, both ministries and institutions, in order to recruit indigenous Papuans to work. In short, the recruitment of civil servants throughout Indonesia should give special treatment to Papuans.

Regarding finances in Papua, according to The Minister of Polhukam, many people consider that Papua is taken by the state, until poor Papua gets no part. Based on data from the Ministry of Finance submitted at cabinet meetings, that is not true.

Revenue from the Papua Province, which includes taxes, customs, and others, is as large as Rp12.645 trillion, while spending for Papua is Rp46.173 trillion. While the Province of West Papua contributed Rp5.053 trillion in revenue, while the government's expenditure for West Papua reached Rp19.203 trillion.

"That's a common policy, so the government continues to take a peaceful approach without violence, without weapons. That's the basic principle. But to protect, there is a legal and security approach," said Menko Polhukam.

The policy in the form of law enforcement efforts, said The Minister of Police Polhukam, first is to hunt down terrorists. "Not papuan organizations, but people who commit terror. By name, there are names, not just just papuans," said Menko Polhukam.

Then law enforcement in the form of searches for misuse of state funds or corruption. The government, said The Minister of Police Polhukam, based on reports from the CPC and the findings of the State Intelligence Agency, has recorded ten major corruptions. "This will be done by law enforcement against them," mahfud MD said.

In addition to continuing efforts to eradicate terrorist groups in Papua, the government also continues to try to overcome the East Indonesia Mujahideen terrorists in Poso, Central Sulawesi who returned to action a few days ago by killing four farmers.

"This shows that the group has begun to be increasingly pressured by our pursuit operations, and again this pursuit to save the people because they are actually doing that (terror)," said Menko Polhukam.

(Sato) OMIKAMI-TV