Met At The Polhukam Office, Mahfud MD Receives MRP's Aspiration Regarding Otsus Papua

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Leaders and members of the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) met with Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Building, Friday, June 11. This assembly is a forum provided by law for indigenous Papuans to voice problems on the Earth of Cendrawasih.

This meeting discussed a number of issues such as land issues in Papua and conveying public aspirations regarding the Revision of Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua or Special Autonomy for Papua which is currently being rolled out in the Indonesian House of Representatives.

"We explained to each other and exchanged ideas, and I explained the central government's policy in Papua, where they understood that what had been and would be done, everything is in accordance with the corridors of the Constitution and with a welfare approach," Mahfud said in a written statement to reporters, Saturday, June 12.

The former chairman of the Constitutional Court (MK) did not go into more detail about the aspirations that had been conveyed by the MRP, including the chairman of the MRP, Timothy Murib. However, he ensured that the aspirations he had heard would be submitted to the DPR.

Mahfud also said that law enforcement against armed groups is part of facilitating dialogue with the Papuan people who are far more outside the group.

"In principle, according to the president's directives, solving problems in Papua should not be done with weapons and explosions, but with dialogue for the sake of prosperity," he stressed.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the MRP, Timothy Murib, said that his party had come to communicate related to various matters in Papua.

This is done in response to the second amendment process to Law Number 21 of 2001 which is currently being rolled out in the DPR. Timotius said that his party wanted to convey the aspirations of indigenous Papuans to the central government and Mahfud responded well to this.

"Mr. Coordinating Minister responded remarkably to our aspirations and were well accommodated, through the Director General of Regional Autonomy, who was present at the meeting, so that they could be submitted to the DPR, for consideration, as well as input and suggestions from the Papuan people," he concluded.