Transcript
A West Papuan customary representative says lawmakers in Jakarta still lack the political will to re-design Papua region's Special Autonomy status so that it benefits the indigenous people.
The Special Autonomy package granted by Indonesia to Papua fifteen years ago was meant to ensure improved living conditions and access to basic services for West Papuans but is widely considered a failure.
Wynand Watory, who was formerly a member of the Papuan regional legislature, told Johnny Blades Jakarta has failed to manage West Papuans' welfare and rights, and lacks a clear policy on how to move forward on the issue.
WYNAND WATORY: Autonomy is the middle way but after 15 years implemented special autonomy, making this a big problem for people right now. And then we have no future. Why? Because the situation in education and health and economy it has not changed. But right now people have, migrants from Indonesia have come to Papua, made the problems become big for us. So I think right now we must say to the Indonesian government that "you failed to manage the government in papua and you make the problem issue become big for people here", so we must dialogue to look for a solution for the future of the people in Papua.
JOHNNY BLADES: Do you see that the government in Jakarta is willing to dialogue? Are the signs there?
WW: Yeah... I think that they are split. One group, they support dialogue. And ultra-nationalists in Indonesia, they reject this dialogue. We know that. But if they not want to dialogue, the people ask them "so what solution you give for us?" we have a problem now.
JB: The Papuan People's Assembly formally rejected Special Autonomy a few years ago. What's happening with it now, is it being re-designed?
WW: Yes, we know that the Indonesian government tried to look for the other way to give the solution for Papuans. But we know that until now, they are confused. They are confused to look for the solution. Because when they give the opportunity for the Papua provincial government to proposed the new bills of the Special Autonomy, central government also reject this proposal. So they are confused. They are confused to give the solution.
