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Optimism in fostering prosperity in Papua

When asked by colleagues of my impression from a recent trip to the United Kingdom with Cenderawasih University rector Apolo Safanpo, I have only one simple answer: I am optimistic about Papua’s future

Teuku Faizasyah (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Tue, July 23, 2019

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Optimism in fostering prosperity in Papua

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span>When asked by colleagues of my impression from a recent trip to the United Kingdom with Cenderawasih University rector Apolo Safanpo, I have only one simple answer: I am optimistic about Papua’s future.

My opinion stems from my encounter with academics who took part in the 2019 Indonesian Scholars International Convention (ISIC) in Nottingham, England, on June 22. The discussion with participants of Lingkar Studi Papua (Papua Study Circle) — some of whom are Papuans — emboldened my optimism.

We share a similar positive attitude in approaching developmental challenges in the two provinces of Papua and West Papua. In the area of basic education for instance, we agreed that more work needed to be done.

The rough terrain in Papua makes it less opportune to operate high schools in the mountainous area. The ratio of aspiring students and the availability of teachers in a classroom setting makes it less appealing to open secondary and high schools there. Hence, opening up a boarding school at a district capital can mitigate such challenges.

In the context of tertiary education, Apolo shared his observation of the current state of teaching environments in Papua and West Papua. There is a need for infrastructure; hard infrastructure such as research facilities and soft infrastructure in the form of sufficient lecturers.

In the university Apolo led, the classroom ratio between lecturers and students is not ideal. For every 200 students, there is only one lecturer available to teach, whereas the ideal composition is one lecturer per 50 students for hard science and one per 30 students for social sciences.

These challenges do not weaken the resolve of young generations of Papuans to advance knowledge. More students from Papua are now studying in Java and Sulawesi. At the same time, the provincial governments are following a different strategy by sending Papuan students overseas to study. This approach is a reminder of then-research minister BJ Habibie’s strategy in the 1980s to leapfrog in technology advancement by sending students to Germany to study engineering. At that time, the government had set up several strategic industries, including the aviation sector. The new cadre of young professionals catered to the need to jumpstart the strategic industries.

Yet, a similar grand design is less forthcoming in the context of human resources development programs by the provincial government of Papua. While more work needs to be done, such as to synchronizing efforts at national and regional levels, it is uplifting to witness high optimism among participants of ISIC and Apolo on Indonesia in general and on Papua in particular.

The way forward is very clear. They are prepared to assist in human resources development in their home country, Indonesia. In the case of Papua, they are ready to support the adjustment process of Papuan students who wish to study overseas. Indeed, learning through peer group experiences could serve as a good catalyst to adjust to a new living environment and studying culture overseas.

Their willingness to assist is in consonance with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s call on the Indonesian diaspora to participate actively in Indonesian development during the second term of his presidency.


These challenges do not weaken the resolve of young generations of Papuans to advance knowledge.


On his part, Apolo shared his confidence over the role of Cenderawasih University in preparing the next generation of leaders in West Papua and Papua provinces. In particular, he referred to what special autonomy funds can actually do to accelerate infrastructure improvement of the university.

All in all, the ISIC gathering in the UK mirrored the young generation of Indonesia’s readiness to take over the relay baton in advancing Indonesian development. In contrast to this spirit of optimism and hopefulness in Nottingham, a development that incited negativity also happened in Oxford, England.

The granting of the Freedom of the City award by the City Council of Oxford to Benny Wenda on Wednesday puzzled Indonesians of all walks of life. The award raises fundamental questions as to whether Wenda deserves it, given that he is a fugitive accused of complicity in the murders of police officials in Papua province.

More recently, through the Vanimo Declaration, he declared that all armed groups in Papua were now under his command. These armed groups were responsible for the December 2018 massacre of 19 civilian road workers in Nduga, Papua.

While Benny does not represent the will of Indonesian Papuans, the award could harm cohesion in Papua, as those who campaign for secession would use it as a tool to provoke discord among Papuans. The award also raises eyebrows as it refers to freedom, a very concept Benny has been attempting to seize from the people of Papua who have enjoyed their freedom as part of the Republic of Indonesia.

All in all, Indonesians should not heed the award; the good people of Indonesia should see the award as a foreign attempt to incite disunity among Indonesians. In fact, some would see it as the epitome of desperation in the part of Benny, who is trying to cling to external support for his very existence and for his campaign to separate Papua and West Papua from Indonesia.

We have a critical task before us, which is to continue bringing hope to all Indonesians in each corner of the archipelago; a clear message of hope that the Indonesian diaspora in the UK and all over the world wishes to convey to their brothers and sisters in Indonesia.

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The writer is adviser for political and security affairs to the foreign minister and former Indonesian ambassador to Canada. The views expressed are his own.

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