Merauke, Jubi – Merauke Regent Romanus Mbaraka said if was reelected, he would build army posts at 97 villages of Papuan indigenous people.
He said it in his speech in the evaluation on the administration and implementation of development that held by Kima-Khima Customary Law Institute last week in Merauke. He said the army post is intended to be a shelter for soldiers who assist the local community preparing their farm areas and growing the local commodities such as sweet potato, banana, coconut, paddy and other crops.
“It is my commitment to start this program in next year. Papuan indigenous people must have two hectares of productive area ready to grow many types of crops. Then, the military officers would help to provide coaching and monitoring to the local community,” he said.
He further said he has consulted the program with the Minister of Politic, Legal and Human Right, Indonesian Police Chief as well as other related stakeholders in Jakarta. And they all agreed to give their support because this is a positive step to encourage and mobilize the local community to produce something of their own. The military officers at 97 local villages would arrange the schedule for local community as well as to monitor them doing their work. “We will arrange the schedule. People will work for three days in their farm while they could use two days left, Friday and Saturday, to go to the forest. And Sunday they go to the church,” he said.
In addition, he said this idea was raised after seeing the life improvement among the migrants; they only have two hectares of land but they can increase their income every year, they can build a house and fulfill their daily needs including send their children to the school.
‘This way should be done or applied towards native Papuans at the villages. The government certainly will not stay behind but it will highly support by providing the farming tools and so on until this program could be well implemented,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sabon Village community leader Soter Kamiawi said the regent’s program is very proper and must be realized. “I believe that the assignment of military officers at local villages would motivate people to keep working,” he said. (Frans L Kobun/rom)
