As a Product of Papua Special Autonomy Law will not End

The Papuan People's Council or MRP will hold a Hearing Meeting, or RDP, with indigenous Papuans in five customary areas, in the next few weeks. The chairman of the MRP, Timotius Murib, said that his party wanted to hear the opinion of the indigenous Papuan people regarding the continuation of the Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus) fund, which ends in 2021. The Papuan People's Assembly will form five teams for the implementation of the RDP. Each team will go to an indigenous area.

He said, a similar agenda was also carried out by the West Papua People's Assembly or MRPB. They will conduct an RDP with the community in the two customary areas there. After the RDP is carried out in their respective customary territories, the two institutions will hold a General Hearing Meeting (RDPU) or general plenary in Biak Numfor Regency, at the end of November 2020. "The RDPU will be centered in Biak. Papua and West Papua will carry out activities Simultaneously in Biak. Plans for November 22 and 23 [2020] in Biak, "said Timotius Murib, Monday (19/10/2020). Timotius appealed to all MRP members to prepare themselves before the implementation of the RDP in the five customary areas.

According to him, this agenda is important because it relates to the wishes of the Papuan people for the future of Otsus. He emphasized that whatever the wishes of the majority of indigenous Papuans during the RDP, that is what the MRP will convey to the central government. The government claims that the majority of Papuan people do not question Otsus.


The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD emphasized that the government had never stated that it would extend Otsus. This is because, he said, Otsus has been in effect since it was promulgated in Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua. However, the government will revise Article 34 regarding the Special Autonomy Fund. According to him, the special autonomy funds will expire in 2021. So if article 34 is not revised, the funds are not legally valid. "That we will provide special autonomy funds in accordance with the demands of the Papuan people. Asking to increase, come on. We are now raising 2.25 percent of the DAU.