STUDY ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGTH TO PARTICIPATE IN DECISION
MAKING
Indigenous Peoples of West Papua did not participate in Decision making at all
Government level.
Government at Local level such as village did not involving the indigenous communities
leaders and religious leaders in planning the development programme and participating in
Decision making in conducting the development activities in the area around the
indigenous communities.
The village government make the decision without the participation of indigenous village
communities. In Ambai village the project activity in building the cement road which is
only the decision of village administration.
At the Provincial level, the Government did not involving indigenous peoples directly in
development planning programme. In this year 2010 Papua Provincial Government plan
to build the Ring Road, this programme creating the public debate between the
Government and indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples want the Government to build
the proper market place for the indigenous peoples of West Papua but the government
want to build the ring road. This have shown that indigenous peoples have no rights to
participate in decision making, because this is the strong policy of Government to
implement the development activities and not care with the aspiration of indigenous
peoples.
The Government never made the consultation and Free Prior and Inform Consent with
the indigenous peoples, the government make sure the indigenous peoples should follow
and just agree with the plan and decision making they have made. This one side decision
making creating many problems between indigenous peoples and the government,
because the government did not fulfilled the needs of indigenous peoples then emerge
various conflict that never end.
In connection with the Indigenous Peoples Rights to Participate in Decision Making
within the development programme for the indigenous peoples of West Papua that
implementing by UN Special Agency such ILO. Indigenous peoples of West Papua have
been involved as directly from the beginning process in consultation. Come to the
implementation of ILO Project in Papua province, the indigenous people of West Papua
within West Papua Interest Association did not participate in decision making to
determine the project location and this were done as one side by ILO and Government.
Special Autonomy and the Expansion of Province and Regency in Papua
The Special Autonomy Law No. 21 of the Year 2001 have change become the Law
No.35 of the Year 2009. The change that have been made did not involving the
indigenous peoples and this is the mistake of Indonesia Central Government, and the
Central Government not yet done the socialization or dissemination of information about
the change of Special Autonomy law No. 21 of the year 2001.
According to the Special Autonomy Law that the change made, if the agreement from
indigenous peoples of West Papua, however that happen the whole peoples of West
Papua did not known about the change and only the few peoples. Therefore it’s against
the rule’s also the indigenous peoples and the People’s Council House Representative of
Papua Province not participate in decision making. The Deputy Governor of Papua
Province was shocked to hear about the change of Special Autonomy Law was revised
become the Law No.35 of the year 2009.
Indigenous peoples of West Papua did not get involved in decision making about
expansion of province in Papua Province and the Regency. The expansion of province
and regency was only for the certain officer that want to become the Governor or Head of
Regency because the loss during the election.
This is very clear that the Government Policy have more power from the participation of
Indigenous peoples in Decision Making that have done from Indonesia Central
Government, Papua Provincial government and at the local level.
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