Sabtu, 09 September 2017

SECURITY ISSUES HINDER INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN PAPUA

 by Andi Abdussalam
          Jakarta, Sept 9 (Antara) - The Indonesian government, in its efforts to advance the local economy, is launching massive infrastructure development in Papua despite the Indonesian easternmost province sometimes experiencing unfavorable security conditions.
         President Joko Widodo, who had visited the province recently, said reducing isolation, creating new jobs, alleviating poverty, carrying out equitable development, and increasing the human development index are parts of the government's efforts to overcome challenges in Papua Province.
         One of the most important infrastructure development projects undertaken in the province is the construction of the Trans-Papua Highway. However, roads should be constructed in line with the condition in the region.
         Armed civilians or unidentified gunmen still sometimes disrupt the security situation in the province. For instance, Chief Brigadier Awaluddin Elakhan, a police officer, was hit by an armed civilian in Tiom Market in Lanny Jaya District, Papua, some three years ago.
         Hence, the road construction work had to be halted when the security situation became volatile.
        This was acknowledged by Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Affairs Mochamad Basoeki Hadimoeljono who said the construction of Trans-Papua roads is still constrained by security issues.



        "Hence, security poses an obstacle in the construction of the Trans-Papua roads in Papua. We are sometimes compelled to 'cool down' for a moment before continuing it again," he informed Antara in Jayapura on Friday.
        According Hadimoeljono, if the situation becomes safe, the work is then continued again. If not, it will be stopped while evaluating the situation again, as workers cannot be forced to work in such circumstances.
        "Construction work on the Trans-Papua road basically does not stop but runs slowly, adjusting to the situation and conditions," he revealed.
        He said his ministry was optimistic that the Trans-Papua sections running through Wamena-Jayawijaya District would be completed by 2018, so that goods can be distributed through land transportation.
        The Trans-Papua Highway will stretch 4,330.07 kilometers long, of which 3,851.93 kilometers had been constructed by the end of 2016.
         The Trans-Papua roads connect the various regions of Papua: Kwatisore-Nabire-Wagete-Enarotali-Ilaga-Mulia-Usilimo-Wamena-Elelim-Jayapura-Wamena-Habema-Kenyam-Mumugu.
        Construction of the 4,330-kilometer (km) Trans-Papua Highway in Indonesia's mineral-rich provinces of Papua and West Papua will offer greater connectivity and is expected to boost economic activities in the regions.
         The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry hopes to complete the construction of the Trans-Papua Highway  by the end of the term of the current government of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in 2019.
         "The 570-km Sorong-Manokwari segment in West Papua has relatively been connected. There is only a 12-km section at the border of West Papua and Papua that remains to be constructed. We have sent three teams, and this section must be completed this year," Minister Basuki Hadimuljono stated in Jakarta recently.
         The Trans-Papua Highway project is the landmark of the government's move to build massive infrastructure in Papau and West Papua provinces.
         The Indonesian National Construction Contractor Association (Gapensi) had earlier lauded the spurt in infrastructure development in eastern Indonesia, mainly in Papua, which is expected to boost the efficiency and competitiveness of the province in future.
         "Like it or not, we must admit that nowadays, infrastructure development is massive in Papua. It should be acknowledged that there must be a regime that is bold in taking fiscal and state budget risks in order to develop Papua and prevent it from lagging behind," Secretary General of Gapensi Andi Rukman Karumpa remarked in Jakarta, Thursday (Sept 7).
          Nevertheless, Karumpa who is also a businessman from Papua, pointed out that massive infrastructure development should not solely marginalize the Papuan natives, as they find it difficult to compete with those coming from other provinces.
          For this purpose, he said, indigenous Papuans should be given full attention, so that they can become masters in their own villages and not spectators in the midst of rapid infrastructure development.
          Therefore, Karumpa suggested that the government should encourage the local residents to become small entrepreneurs conducting business along the roads, airports, and newly built ports.
          He also admitted that the central government's policy has significantly impacted the efficiency of the local economy, such as the one-price policy for gasoline in Papua.
         The secretary general of Gapensi also continues to encourage the government to accelerate the development of 187 border areas, including in Skouw, Jayapura City, Papua.
         According to Managing Director of Tarsus Indonesia Didit Siswodwiatmoko, the development of infrastructure currently being carried out by the government of President Joko Widodo is an essential solution to improving competitiveness and realizing equitable development in various regions.
          "Infrastructure is Indonesia's key to making progress in the economy as well as realizing equitable development,"   Didit Siswodwiatmoko noted in a written statement received in Jakarta on Thursday.
          Hence, Tarsus Indonesia is planning to organize an Indonesia Infrastructure Week (IIW)  at the Jakarta Convention Center on November 8-10, 2017.
         Siswodwiatmoko explained that the IIW will be held in collaboration with the government represented by ministries, state-owned companies, and various private companies.
         The event serves as a platform to generate business opportunities for several parties in the infrastructure sector as well as directly supports the important vision of infrastructure development that sustains Indonesia's economic growth (including that in eastern Indonesia, such as Papua and West Papua province), Siswodwiatmoko stated.***3***
(A014/INE)EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/F. Assegaf) 09-09-2017 13:48:2

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