New Approach Needed for Papua

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Participants attend the "Analyzing the Root Problem and Present Condition of Papua" discussion, hosted on Thursday (5/9/2019) by the Kompas daily at its editorial offices in Jakarta. The discussion’s speakers included former House of Representatives member Simon Patrick Morin from Papua (far right), National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) commissioner Amiruddin (second right), former state minister of accelerated development for eastern Indonesia Manuel Kaisiepo (third right), and Indonesian Institute of Sciences researcher Adriana Elisabeth (not pictured).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – A cultural approach that focuses on dignity is needed to overcome the recent turmoil in Papua. The same approach should be adopted toward Papuan youths living in the region as well as those studying outside Papua. These youths have emerged as a new strategic group to replace the roles of Papuan religious and traditional leaders.

Manuel Kaisiepo, the former state minister of accelerated development for eastern Indonesia, has observed that the sociopolitical views of the new generation of Papuan youths were “an anomaly”.