Differences in Opinion of Indigenous Youth and MRP Regarding the Expansion of Papua

The National Leadership Council (DPN) of Papuan Indigenous Youth on Thursday (28/4/2022) met the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Jakarta. The arrival of representatives of the Papuan Indigenous Youth is to provide support and ask the government to accelerate the process of forming new autonomous regions (DOB) or the division of Papua in three regions, namely Central Papua, Central Highlands Papua and South Papua.
 
"We fully support the central government with the presence of the New Autonomous Region in Papua. This is for the welfare of the Papuan people and equitable development in Papua," said the Chairperson of the Papua Indigenous Youth DPN, Jan Christian Arebo.

"Therefore, we expect the President to immediately accelerate the new autonomous regions in Papua in order to create a safe, peaceful and conducive situation in Papua and also bring prosperity to the Papuan people," he added.

Arebo believes that the expansion of the region will have a positive impact on the Papuan people and accelerate development on the Earth of Cendrawasih. He also emphasized that most Papuans are loyal to the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI).

"Not all Papuans ask for independence, not all Papuans ask for a referendum, I am an Indonesian citizen who is loyal and obedient to Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution, and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia with a fixed price," said Arebo.

On the same occasion, Pastor Catto Y Mauri emphasized his support for the division of three regions in Papua. In addition, Pastor Mauri also said, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia is a gift from God for the Papuan people.

"As a servant of God, I want to say a statement that I can say and cannot be denied. Papua in the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia is a gift from God. We are grateful for that," said Pastor Mauri who is also a member of the Papuan Indigenous Youth.

Meanwhile, Mahfud MD conveyed to the Papua Indigenous Youth DPN that the government would speed up the new autonomous region process in Papua. "The Caretaker is currently being considered, the important thing is to promulgate it in the not too distant future, then the President will form it with a Presidential Decree, it's easier for us to prepare," said Mahfud.

He said that he would immediately follow up on all inputs received from the Papua Indigenous Youth Council and submit them to President Joko Widodo.

"I will convey everything to the President, then we will speed things up. I thank you, goodbye, greetings to my brothers in Papua," said Mahfud.

Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Head of the Papuan Indigenous Youth DPN Hironimus Taime, the Papuan Indigenous Youth DPN Council, Daud Rumaropen, Julles Ongge, and Willem Frans Ansanay. Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs was also present from the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, all deputies and several staff of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

SOURCE: https://www.republika.co.id/berita/rb2joq409/beda-pendapat-pemuda-adat-dan-mrp-karena-pemekaran-papua