To mark the Special Autonomy Day, the people of Papua have held a special celebration in a lively and joyful event, with enthusiasm for continuing to bring progress to Papua. The annual commemoration of Special Autonomy Day has now been running for 22 years. For this year’s celebration, the Provincial Government of Southwest Papua in Sorong City had the honour to host the event.
The commemoration of Special Autonomy Day, Papua Fest 2023 began on November 16 and will continue until December 10, 2023. The commemoration of Special Autonomy Day in the courtyard of Sorong City Hall which also celebrated the First Anniversary of Southwest Papua Province was also attended by the Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian, regional heads throughout Papua, and other prominent guests.
With the theme “Spirit of Special Autonomy”, Papua Fest 2023 was a lively event. Various events that were also attended by the wider community also added to the excitement of Papua Fest 2023, ranging from traditional Papuan dance demonstrations, performances by indigenous Papuan singers accompanied by Papuan ethnic background dances, as well as carnivals and cultural parades.
Through the joy and excitement, a message was conveyed of new enthusiasm for a renewal of strengthening development, especially in Papua. For the people of Papua, special autonomy is an important thing. With special autonomy, the interests of local communities can be accommodated based on the aspirations and basic rights of the Papuan people.
Special autonomy in Papua is regulated in Law No. 21 of 2001 which has been amended through the Government Regulation in Lieu of Law No. 1 of 2008. Law 21/2001. In it, it details the authorities of local governments in various parts of Papua in implementing special autonomy.
This is also as stated by the Acting Governor of Southwest Papua Dr. Muhammad Musa’ad. According to him, special autonomy is a blessing for the Papuan people and must benefit indigenous Papuans in need.
“The government has passed a special autonomy law for Papua Province, which was then amended through Law Number 2 of 2021, to provide the spirit of accelerating Papua’s development,” Musa’ad said.
With special autonomy, the Papuan people have plenty of space to determine which direction to take Papua’s development. Indigenous Papuans also have the opportunity to advance as leaders in their land.
“Even in the context of national interests, special autonomy has provided a large space for the government and people of Papua Province, to play an active role as subjects of development,” Musa’ad continued.
One of the monumental works born as the fruit of special autonomy is the expansion of the formation of new provinces in 2022, of which Southwest Papua is among them. Home Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian explained that the expansion was carried out because of the aspirations of Papuan leaders to the central government and the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia.
Tito considered the expansion to have a positive impact. Various regions in the Papua region have become much more developed.
“So, expansion must be addressed positively, and I am very confident in a bureaucracy that (will) become shorter,” Tito said.
West Papua Now 