Jayapura Mayor says DOB must be carried out in Papua

The Mayor of Jayapura, Benhur Tomi Mano, approved the establishment of a New Autonomous Region (DOB) for Papua for equitable development and community welfare.
"I agree with the three provinces, namely South Papua, Central Papua, and Papua Mountains," said Tomi Mano at the Jayapura Mayor's Office, Wednesday (20/4/2022).

Tomi Mano said, the new autonomous regions were carried out to shorten the vulnerability of service control to the community, to create economic equality, education, health, and equitable development.

"We are very supportive, so that development progress is not only focused on Jayapura City. By doing the DOB, there will be an even distribution of the population and the welfare of the community," said Tomi Mano.

Tomi Mano said that the rejection of DOB and Otsus was only carried out by people who wanted independence who were not on one side with Indonesia, so they were aggressively resisting.

"Try asking the Mayor of Jayapura, then I say I agree with the DOB and Otsus, continue the division. We want Papua to be expanded, not because I want the governorship," said Tomi Mano
 
Tomi Mano added, if you want three provinces to be expanded, then there will be no additional divisions for three provinces, because it is adjusted to the financial condition of the relevant ministries.

"If the opportunity is opened for Papuans to carry out expansion, when will this division be determined. If it can be locked, so that there will be no more additions," said Tomi Mano.

Member of Commission I DPR-RI, Yan Permenas Mandenas said the three new autonomous regions (South Papua Province, Central Papua, Papua Mountains) had final laws to be raised to a plenary session.

"After that it will be sent to the president, then the DPR waits for the president to discuss the bill on the division of Papua which is final. The division of territory in Papua is based on the Special Autonomy Law," said Mandenas.

Regarding the issue of adding more provinces apart from the three that have been finalised, Mandenas said, based on the fiscal capacity of the state's finances, it is only possible to establish three new provinces in Papua, which will have been inaugurated in 2023.
 
"Later, the long-term design will have seven provinces in Papua, but two provinces will follow. We will continue to discuss the bill, but it can only be resumed in 2023. Budget preparation and so on will be considered by the government and the DPR," said Mandenas.

Mandenas said that the three final provinces would be included in the discussion in the 2023 APBN. Therefore, the government and the DPR are accelerating their completion so that the bill will soon be enacted into a law, budget allocations, and the governor's role.

“Indeed, pros and cons are common, but government policies will continue because of the government's strategy of expanding to accelerate development. For example, the distribution of Otsus is even, I don't think there is anything wrong with people who refuse because they don't understand, if they understand, they will definitely accept (the expansion)," said Mandenas.

SOURCE: https://jubi.id/tanah-papua/2022/wali-kota-jayapura-sebut-dob-harus-dilaku-di-papua/