Yahukimo Regent Affirms the Expansion Will Not Make Papuans Excluded

Yahukimo Regent Didimus Yahuli believes that the expansion plan or the establishment of a New Autonomous Region (DOB) in Papua Province will have a positive impact on accelerating development and prosperity in Papua. He dismissed concerns that the expansion would make indigenous Papuans extinct.

This was conveyed during the Special Meeting for the Acceleration of Welfare Development in accordance with the Papuan Indigenous Territories which took place at Suni Garden Lake Hotel & Resort Sentani, Jayapura Regency, Papua, Friday (10/6).

Didimus emphasized that the division was not a factor in the death of Papuans. He explained that the deaths of Papuans were caused by various factors, such as HIV and AIDS, traffic accidents, drunkenness, tribal wars, and so on. He assessed that the expansion would actually make the number of people in an area more and more. This is like what happened in Yahukimo Regency from before the division until it was expanded.
 
"So Papuans died not because of division, we must completely eliminate this paradigm of thinking," said Didimus as quoted in a written statement, Saturday (11/6/2022).

He commented that another error that emerged was the assumption that pemekaran would result in the mobilization of many people from outside Papua, so that indigenous Papuans would be excluded. For example, in terms of filling a position in the government structure. In fact, he said, the facts show that the expansion carried out by Papua previously had made indigenous Papuans occupy strategic positions in government organizations, including the legislature.

"Today the members of the Yahukimo DPRD are 100 percent native Yahukimo, all members of the council in the Central Mountains are all native Papuans," said Didimus.

According to Didimus, the expansion will not marginalize indigenous Papuans. Instead, the expansion is an opportunity for the Papuan people to contribute more in various fields.
 
According to Didimus, this expansion is needed, one of which is because of the size of the area. He said that there are areas in Papua that have such wide territorial conditions, so that the span of government control is too far.

Didimus emphasized that the expansion must be accompanied by adequate financial support. Thus, the expansion step can support the expansion and acceleration of development in an area.

Against different views regarding the expansion, he invites all parties to respond proportionally. He emphasized that good communication must be built so that the purpose of the expansion can be understood by all parties.

SOURCE: https://www.detik.com/sulsel/berita/d-6122500/bupati-yahukimo-unjukkan-pemekaran-tak-bikin-orang-papua-tersisih