AKNEPP Supports the Sustainability of Otsus in Papua

Chairman of the Papua Province Fishermen Cooperative Association (AKNEPP) Salmon Patai, SH said that his party continues to provide support, so that the sustainability of Otsus in this land continues.

The reason is, Otsus volume I has improved the welfare of the people, both in Papua and West Papua Provinces.

"So, the party who said it failed was not Otsus, but the perpetrators failed to provide protection for Otsus," Salmon explained in Jayapura.

He said that Otsus volume I has been going well, because the financial assistance that comes from this policy directly touches local fishermen who are indigenous Papuans.

But over time, the management of Otsus did not go well, because it was used by elements who had an interest, so that local fishermen no longer felt that way.

For that, said Salmon, so that Otsus can run well in the future, his party hopes that there will be an evaluation from the central government and the regional government of the related SKPD, so that the Special Autonomy funds that are distributed can also touch local fishermen in Papua who now number 6,000 people.

However, he admitted that he had a record regarding the special protection for AKNEPP.

Among them, such as providing fishing facilities, business capital assistance, training in marine and fisheries technology and building AKNEPP office buildings throughout Papua.

"This is intended so that fishermen can develop their catch and distribute it to every district / city in Papua. Even Bali, Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar to overseas, "he said.

It is known, Otsus for Papua and West Papua will end in 2021, and the Central Government plans to extend it for the next 20 years.

The Special Autonomy Law was passed in Jakarta on November 21, 2001 by the 4th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarnoputri, where the policy gave Papua more authority than other regions obtained from ordinary regional autonomy.