OTSUS EMPOWERING THE PEOPLE OF PAPUA

The DPR RI has ratified the second revision of Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua on July 15, 2021.

The revised Papua Special Autonomy Law has amended or revised 18 articles consisting of 3 articles proposed by the government, and 15 articles outside the government's proposal. Apart from these 18 articles, the Special Committee and the government also agreed on the addition of 2 articles in the Papua Special Autonomy Bill, bringing the total articles in the bill to 20 articles.

There are several changes to the articles resulting from the second revision of the Special Autonomy Law which accommodate specific arrangements for Papuan Indigenous People (OAP) in the fields of politics, education, health, employment and the economy as well as providing support for the development of indigenous peoples.

There has been a change in the political field with the expansion of political roles for OAP in membership in the Regency/City House of Representatives. So the seats of the OAP were not filled from political parties, and affirmed 30 percent of the women's element.

The fields of education and health are changing. In addition, in the field of employment and the economy, there have been changes where in carrying out economic efforts in Papua, it is mandatory to prioritize Papuan Papuans who meet the educational requirements to be recruited into the workforce.

It was also conveyed that there was an increase in spending on assistance for the empowerment of indigenous peoples and special autonomy funds, which increased by 0.25 percent. Including the division of the province in Papua which has been given facilities.

Community Leader Kp. Foromajaya Kab. Kaimana, Lomerus Nega said he would like to thank the central government for the ratification of Otsus Volume II because Otsus has been greatly felt from the central government which has been implemented in the form of physical and non-physical development, so that it can send children to school outside Papua until back to success, and this is his hope as a native Papuan.

"So far, Otsus has been deeply felt by the community because it has made many changes since the formation of Otsus, so I as a community leader and the village government are very grateful because there are people and the government who really care about the Papuan people, especially the Foromajaya village," he concluded.

SOURCE: https://melanesianinfo.com/otsus-empowering-masyarakat-papua/