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Jakarta Post

Strides in infrastructure not enough for Papua: Leader

Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post)
Jayapura, Papua
Thu, May 11, 2017

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Strides in infrastructure not enough for Papua: Leader  In a photograph released by the State Palace, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (second right) rides a motorbike alongside his delegation over the site of the proposed trans-Papua highway on May 10. (AFP/Indonesian Presidential Palace)

M

assive infrastructure developments in Papua during President Joko “Jokowi" Widodo’s administration should be appreciated by those in the province, but more needs to be done to develop the region, said religious leader Rev. Sofyan Yoman on Thursday.

“I appreciate President Jokowi’s several visits to the land of the Melanesian people. Honestly and openly, I want to convey to you, Pak Jokowi, that your frequent visits to West Papua and massive developments of road and bridge infrastructure show that the central government pays attention to the Melanesian people in the region. However, these two approaches have not yet tackled the core of problems in West Papua and are not the best and most effective solutions to the problems,” Yoman said on Thursday.

Among core problems he referred to included systematic and structural violations of human rights in Papua, which he said had been ongoing for 50 years.

Papua Governor Lukas Enembe and Papua Legislative Council Speaker Yunus Wonda expressed gratitude toward Jokowi for the attention his administration gave to Indonesia's easternmost region.

Yunus pointed out that in Jokowi’s three years of leadership, he visited Papua six times and brought rapid progress in infrastructure.

Enembe said he would support the President running for a second term. “We support Bapak for a second term to continue the development here,” the governor said. (dis/ebf)

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