Japanese PPI urges the government to evaluate the PSN in Papua, including the Food Estate Program

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Students Association (PPI) Japan urges the Government to evaluate the implementation of the National Strategic Project (PSN) in Papua, including the Food Estate program, which is considered to ignore the basic rights of Papuan citizens.

This was conveyed by the Chairman of the Japanese PPI, Muhammad Rizal Pabuarany, in a discussion after watching the film "Pesta Babi" which was held offline and online in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday.

The discussion, which was moderated by Pratiwi Christin Harnita, a doctoral student at Chuo University, as well as the Head of the Human Movement and Human Resources Department of the Japanese PPI, not only discussed the film, but also highlighted the impact of the PSN and the opening of millions of hectares of customary forest land in South Papua which is said to trigger an ecological crisis and agrarian conflict for indigenous people.

The Japanese PPI chairman said the film opened the conditions of the reality experienced by the Papuan indigenous people.

"All citizens without exception have a basic right to life. Including in this case the Papuan indigenous people. This film has opened our inner eyes to the suffering experienced by the Papuan people due to the PSN policy, including the Food Estate program which has confiscated the livelihood source, namely the customary forest," explained Muhammad Rizal Pabuarany, launching the PPI Japan statement, Tuesday (9/6).

"The Japanese PPI urges the Indonesian government to re-evaluate the policy held by ignoring the basic rights of Papuan citizens. A thorough evaluation is not only at the policy level but also the deployment of the TNI apparatus on a large scale to secure the sustainability of the PSN and Food Estate," he said.

It is known that this watch together and discussion was held by the Japanese PPI supported by a number of organizations such as the Association of Interns and Tokuteiginou Indonesia in Japan (IPTIJ), the Open University Student Association (Perma UT) in Japan, and the Salatiga Student Association.

This activity was also attended by a number of resource persons, including online, such as the director of the Pesta Babi film Dandhy Dwi Laksono, Vice President of the Papua Student Association Vellix Cornelis Ndiken, IPTIJ member Adlin Iqromi; doctoral student in Environmental and Information Studies at Tokyo City University Erekso Hadiwijoyo; member of PERMA UT Muhammad Danar Pramudito; Chairman of the Forum of Indigenous Malind People Anim Kondo-Digoel Simon Petrus Balagaize, academic practitioner of information technology Melkior Sitokdana, to the regional and city planning analyst Hani S Sawasemarial.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Malind Anim Kondo-Digoel Indigenous Peoples Forum, Simon Petrus Balagaize, urged the Government to evaluate and stop all Merauke PSN that are taking over living spaces in the community.

"The film Pesta Babi is a fact. The government has never socialized the PSN to the indigenous people. There are five zones in the PSN where the forest clearance process is still ongoing. We protested by planting a red cross and actions in the city of Merauke including Jakarta. The TNI apparatus also often carries out psychological pressure on the indigenous people. Our efforts to defend land rights are always faced with pressure from the TNI. Remember, there is no empty land. All belong to the indigenous people. This is a big controversy. We continue to fight for this. This development process has also caused horizontal conflicts in society. Between people who continue to fight with people who accept money offers from entrepreneurs," said Simon Petrus Balagaize

In line with Simon, Regional and City Planning analyst Hani S Sawasemarial saw the government seemed to impose PSN without seeing the cultural characteristics of the indigenous people in Papua who respect the heritage of ancestors, respect for nature and maintain the environment. "Indigenous people in Papua very much care about the heritage of ancestors and spirituality. This needs to be understood. If we want to strengthen it with regional planning, there is a process that is centered on humans. How the environment is maintained. If you look at this planning, there is an instrument from the state that wants to accelerate development (PSN) in Papua. It should be remembered, development must depart from the characteristics of the region," explained Hani S Sawasemarial.

"Papua clearly has its own characteristics, such as the dependence of indigenous people on nature, cultural values that are still an important part of the Papuan people, and so on. Respect for the rights of indigenous people also needs to be considered," he added.

Hani believes that the Papuan people do not reject development, but to what extent is the welfare and sense of justice that the people get? The government, according to Hani, seems to impose PSN.

"Understand the cultural conditions in Papua. Understand the conditions in Papua first. Land is the mother and mother for the Papuans," he added.

The documentary film Pesta Babi has become the focus of attention because of the controversy that arose after its launch.

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra at an event at the State University of Surabaya last May said the government respects the freedom of creativity and expression of artists through the film (Pesta Babi).

According to him, the criticism conveyed in the film set in the case in Papua is seen as a positive input for the government in conducting evaluations, including related to environmental impacts and the rights of local communities.

"The government sees positively that there are positive criticisms that are conveyed in the documentary and become material for the government to make judgments," he said, as reported by Antara.

He admitted that the national rice paddies printing program since 2022 has the potential to create bias in the field, including the potential for conflicts of interest between residents and forest sustainability issues in southern Papua.

Yusril ensured that the Government had never given instructions to the authorities to take action to dissolve or prohibit the screening of the film.

However, Yusril asked creators to actively provide explanations to the public so that there is no misunderstanding in the community.

"Like artists, creators also should not be silent, not explaining only hiding behind the freedom of creation," said Yusril.

The Professor of State Law at the University of Indonesia also straightened the use of the term colonialism in the film's narrative so as not to create a misinterpretation of history that has the potential to divide the nation.

He emphasized that Papua is a legitimate part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia based on the official referendum of the United Nations (UN) and the food security program is also carried out in other areas such as Kalimantan.

"I want to clarify that the government does not do anything negative to the Papuans because it realizes that the Papuan people are an integral part," said Yusril.