Meeting With The Army Chief Of Staff, Mahfud MD Discusses Handling Papua Through A New Approach

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD after holding a closed meeting with the Army Chief of Staff General Dudung Abdurachman (PHOTO: Public Relations of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD emphasized that the government is using a new approach to deal with problems that exist in Papua. Including through dialogue and prioritizing a community welfare approach.

This was conveyed by Mahfud after receiving the Army Chief of Staff (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman, Commander of the XVII/Cenderawasih Military Command Major General Ignatius Yogo Triyono, and the Commander of the XVIII/Kasuari Military Command, Major General TNI I Nyoman Cantiasa in his office.

According to him, this approach was carried out in accordance with the mandate of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 9 of 2020 concerning the Acceleration of Welfare Development in Papua Province and West Papua Province and Law No. 2 of 2021 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua.

"The approach that will be used is the welfare approach, where the resources owned by the government, be it apparatus, personal, or financial, will be focused on efforts to build prosperity in a collaborative, comprehensive work, in accordance with the Presidential Instruction," Mahfud said in a statement. he wrote, Tuesday, December 7th.

In addition to using a welfare approach, Mahfud said the government will continue to prioritize dialogue. He said, this method has actually been continuously used to solve problems in Papua.

Mahfud said the government often invites traditional leaders, academics, and leaders of youth organizations to hold dialogues.

"Some say we have to have a dialogue with the Papuan people, we will continue to have a dialogue. Because so far, as the people know, we will continue to have a dialogue," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court.

"I invite them here, have a dialogue with traditional leaders, academics, religious leaders, leaders of youth organizations, we will continue to prioritize dialogue in order to develop Papua," added Mahfud.

According to him, the current apparatus has identified areas where there are still armed criminal groups (KKB) and the results are only certain areas. Thus, he asked the authorities not to focus on that area only but to help the government develop the community.

"We've mapped areas that are a bit hot. Only certain areas are a bit hot and that's all, don't waste too much energy there, that's why we develop Papua as our brother. Papua is our brother, not KKB. Papua is brother we are the same as Java, Sumatra, Bugis, Aceh. We treat Papua the same as part of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia," he said.

Responding to this, KSAD General Dudung Abdurachman said he was ready to support the government's program by preparing its soldiers to carry out operational duties. He revealed that the coaching task was indeed his responsibility while the operational ones were under the direction of the TNI Commander General Andika Perkasa.

"We will support the government program that has been proclaimed by the President. This is followed up by the TNI Commander that in Papua the approach is a humanitarian approach, namely carrying out territorial operations which include guidance to the community, so that our army ranks fully support and will prepare the ranks of the armed forces. we are in the framework of the program," concluded Dudung.