Audience with Regents in Papua, Vice President Accepts Suggestions for the Formation of the New Province of Bomberai Raya

Photo via Antara.

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin noted the proposals of several regents and customary heads in Kaimana Papua regarding the formation of a new province called Central West Papua or Bomberai Raya.

This was conveyed by the Vice President during an audience with Kaimana Regent Freddy Thie, Fakfak Regent Untung Tamsil, Teluk Wondama Regent Hendrik Mambor, Chairman of the Kaimana Traditional Council Johan Werfete, and traditional kings.

In this activity, the Vice President also acts as Chair of the Steering Committee for the Acceleration of Special Autonomy for Papua (BP3OKP) or the Papua Steering Committee (BPP)

"The suggestions that were submitted will be our record and will be our discussion", Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said in Kaimana, West Papua Province on Thursday, December 1, as quoted by Antara.

"Customary issues are also in our plans. In Papua, there are 7 customary territories, and here there is Bomberai which I have heard is included in the Negarakertagama Book by Mpu Tantular and the people of Bomberai have become an integral part of the nation's history", he continued.

The Vice President said that the city of Kaimana itself was a historical witness as the landing site for the 1962 Trikora Operation.

"We note Mr. Regent, Indonesia has not forgotten. I thank the sacrifices of the kings, community leaders, and all those who maintain the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia", added the Vice President.

During the meeting, the Regent of Fakfak Untung Tamsil, Teluk Wondama Regent Hendrik Mambor, Raja Kaimana Abdul Hakim Achmad Aituarauw, and Chairman of the Kaimana Traditional Council Johan Werfete requested the establishment of a new province consisting of Fakfak, Kaimana, Teluk Bintuni, and Teluk Wondama districts to become a province. Great Bomberai.

"I also thank you for the development reports for each region and the suggestions submitted to the Papua Development Acceleration Agency and we will strengthen this agency for synchronization between the center and the regions", said the Vice President.

For the 2022-2023 period, the Vice President asked for suggestions from the regents and customary kings to complete the 2022-2041 Master Plan for the Acceleration of Development in Papua (RIPPP).

"Everything is to be adjusted to regional wishes and priorities in each region, and the most important thing is that we can speak one language, one goal, and one desire", added the Vice President.

The government, according to the Vice President, sees the importance of a cultural approach for Papua, meaning not only a structural approach through government channels but also according to custom.

"In the context of customary territory, the development of the integrated Bomberai region is formulated, before it becomes a province, we don't know when it will become a province, so the development design for the integrated Bomberai region is formulated and strengthened by cooperation in Greater Bomberai, both tourism, fishery centers, animal husbandry in the Bomberai peninsula and nutmeg plantation centers in Kaimana and Fakfak", said the Vice President.

Chairman of the Kaimana Customary Council, Johan Werfete, in the audience said he supported the presence of the Bomberai Raya province.

"We indigenous people really want to progress like other villages, the people of the interior are very friendly and very ready to accept development, there are no challenges or obstacles whatsoever when building road infrastructure, especially to connect villages to other villages, we really need road infrastructure", said Johan Werfete.

He said he was optimistic that Kaimana could become the provincial capital with natural tourism potential.

Meanwhile, Teluk Wondama Regent Hendrik Mambor admitted that he had to spend IDR 100 million to come to the meeting.

"Land transportation is very difficult, I have to charter a cargo plane for IDR 100 million for just 4 'seats' to convey the hopes of the community to the Vice President. We really hope that if it is allowed and really hope that the Bomberai customary territory and the Bomberai customary territory, namely Kaimana, Fakfak, Wondama Bay, Bintuni Bay, and Wondama Bay can be agreed to form one province", said Hendrik.

Hendrik said that until now there is a ritual every year that is carried out so that the bonds within the 19 Bomberai Raya tribes are still strong today.