An Indonesian Human Rights campaigner says the failure of the President to talk to Papuans during his recent trip to Papua reflects the lack of political will to address the region's problems.
Rusdi Marpaung, a senior researcher with the NGO Imparsial, says development prospects remain bleak for Papuans while the security situation in the region keeps deteriorating.
He says despite the critical need for discussion on improving implementation of Special Autonomy Status in Papua, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono appeared unwilling to talk about it.
"He just came to give his speech and no dialogue. A few days after SBY came back to Jakarta, there were also many (incidents of) violence and firing in Puncak Jaya, Jayapura and in West Papua. So it's like they're still half-hearted, for Jakarta and the SBY administration to implement the so-called prosperity approach to Papua."
Rusdi Marpaung
