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Papua-centric perspective should guide development in province: minister
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A pregnant Papuan woman receives a blessing during a ritual Kinsasor in Biak, Papua, on Nov. 27, 2015. (KOMPAS/Susi Ivvaty)
T
he government should change its view of development in Papua from an Indonesia-centric perspective to a Papua-centric one that prioritizes underdeveloped areas, National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) chief Sofyan Djalil has said.
According to Sofyan, Papuans should make use of local resources in their development efforts. For example, if they have coffee and cacao plants, then they should improve those industries. If they have fish, then the government could help to create a fisheries-based industry.
"Instead of constructing Transpapua, it's better if we build or strengthen intermodal transportation or connect the province with outside areas," Sofyan said in a visit to the easternmost province on Thursday.
Sofyan emphasized that local government in Papua should not initiate infrastructure development that did not offer a fruitful contribution to the local people, such as constructing a road on a mountain that would only benefit some vehicle owners but not all residents. (dan)
