An OPM Village in PNG

The local residents and Papuan refugees both speak Yomgom, originating from their ethnic communities that have lived side by side for decades.

AGUSTINUS WIBOWO

The atmosphere of Dome-1 Village inhabited by PNG residents. This village is more advanced than Dome-2 which is inhabited by Indonesian Papuan refugees.

At first glance, Dome looks no different from most other villages in Western Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG): underdeveloped, with almost no trace of development. Yet in this village, refugees from Papua province, Indonesia, live side by side with PNG people.

Dome, around two hours by car from Kiunga that required crossing a river, is divided in two. The native village inhabited by PNG residents, called Dome-1, is located on the bank of the river. Meanwhile, the Papua refugees’ settlement, dubbed Dome-2, is located far inland from the river.