Sub District of Wetar – Supplied
Jakarta, Jubi – Wetar Island which is the outermost islands in the southwest Maluku and Papua will be the destinations of the Widya Nusantara Expedition (Ewin) in 2016, said the deputy for Life Sciences (IPH) Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Enny Sudarmonowati.
“Next year we are going to the outer islands of Indonesia, Wetar Island, and Papua” said Enny in Jakarta on last week.
The expedition will be much more expensive than the previous one in Enggano, Bengkulu. Therefore, cooperation between deputies LIPI will be further strengthened from the beginning, so that the funds collected could be far greater.
“Do not let the foreigners first that reveals what is in there,” she said.
LIPI committed to supporting the development of the eastern region of Indonesia. Therefore, Papua also will be a destination expedition researchers of LIPI in 2016.
“We definitely will visit Papua. There is a biological garden in Wamena who want to be upgraded to the botanical gardens. Hopefully, the Ministry of Public Works could soon build the infrastructure, so it can be connected to Lorentz national park “she added.
Wetar island has an area reached 3,600 square kilometers, is located in Southwest Maluku. It became one of the foremost islands because it borders with Timor Leste in the south.
Previously chairman of economic research network of Eastern Indonesia, Izzac Matitaputty, said the size is larger than the other islands in the archipelago there. Wetar better suited to be duty-free port.
He believes the duty-free port will not only open the door isolated outer islands but also will accelerate the economic development of communities in Southwest Maluku far from Ambon. (*)
