The Vice President Emphasized The Involvement Of Indigenous Peoples Important About All Eyes On Papua "

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin gave a press statement after visiting the Malawei fishing settlement in Sorong City, Southwest Papua, Thursday (6/6/2024). ANTARA/Benardy Ferdiansyah

SORONG - Vice President (Vice President) Ma'ruf Amin emphasized the importance of involving indigenous peoples in a development in Papua so that conflicts do not occur like what has happened so far.

This was conveyed by the Vice President in response to the recent upload of posters and hashtags "All Eyes on Papua" that have gone viral on social media.

"In the future, of course, in the development, there must be communication between the local government and traditional heads and the community, so that there is no kind of conflict or misunderstanding like what has happened so far," said the Vice President giving a press statement after inspecting the Malawei fishing settlement in Sorong City, Southwest Papua, reported by ANTARA, Thursday, June 6.

The Vice President emphasized that the involvement of indigenous peoples is not only related to the viral "All Eyes on Papua", but also other developments in Papua.

"This is in the whole future in all traditional community development, especially the head of the tribal chief, it must be involved. This is an anticipation," said the Vice President.

However, the Vice President asked all parties involved in the issue of the transition of the customary forest function of the community to both respect the current legal process.

"To this problem that has happened, we hope because this has been processed in court. Of course we are welcome to proceed in court later," he said.

The vice president also hopes that with good communication, these problems will not happen again.

"In the future, we hope that things like that don't happen because there may be a lack of communication in the past. In the future, we must be well communicated to regional leaders, to governor officials, we hope this will be the case," said the Vice President.

As for the upload of the "All Eyes on Papua" poster that went viral on Instagram social media, there is a narrative stating that "Hutan in Papua, precisely in Boven Digoel, which covers 36 thousand hectares or more than half of Jakarta, oil palm plantations will be built". Furthermore, "On May 27, 2024, the indigenous people of the Awyu Tribe in Boven Digoel, South Papua and the Moi Tribe in Sorong, Southwest Papua demonstrated in front of the Supreme Court and rejected the handling of this forest because this forest is a traditional forest where they live for generations as well as sources of livelihood, food, culture, and water sources will disappear if this forest is built by oil palm plantations".

The Papuan Police also paid special attention to the viral "All Eyes on Papua".

"This is a serious concern, earlier I also asked the Dirkrimsus to immediately send a team to the location, later together with the Boven Digoel Police Chief (South Papua) and the Mappi Police Chief (South Papuan Papua Police Chief Inspector General Mathius D. Fakhiri gave a statement in Merauke Regency, South Papua, Tuesday (4/6).

He also asked companies investing in Papuan land to accommodate the interests of local indigenous peoples. "I remind companies working in Papua that it is very important to pay attention to how local communities are there because every inch of land in Papua has its own land," said Fakhiri.