News

1191 TPS (Polling Stations) in Papua Province Carried Out Delayed Election Today

After being delayed due to logistic problems, 1,191 polling stations in Papua Province began a follow-up election Thursday (04/18/2019) morning. KPU (General Election Commission) Chairperson of Papua Province, Theodorus Kossay when confirmed by phone said that there are 1,191 polling stations spread in 20 districts in 7 regencies.

“Yes, that’s the plan, we will vote today except in Keerom, where we still have to wait for the reprinting of the DPRD (local representatives) ballot papers,” Theodorus said on Thursday.

Jayapura City, he explained, was the area with the most polling stations holding the election, with as many as 702 polling stations.

As observed in polling station no 039 in Vim Village, Abepura District, Election logistics arrived at around 6:40 a.m. and KPPS (polling station officers) and witnesses from the Bawaslu and the parties began to carry out ballot calculations. One of the KPPS 039 officers also seemed to be actively going around the compound to announce to local residents that the Election could begin immediately.

Chairman of the KPPS 039 Johanes Tapalawene said, the number of ballots that arrived are 209 for the total voters of 205 people. Meanwhile, at polling station no 057, Entrop Village, South Jayapura District, until 8:13 a.m., the local KPPS were still to count the number of ballots that had just arrived earlier.

In this polling station, quite a lot of people have come and want to vote immediately. A similar thing was also seen in TPS 18 of Entrop Sub-District, South Jayapura District, which until 8:17 a.m. local time the KPPS officers were still carrying out ballot calculations. 7 districts / cities that will hold a Next Election are Jayapura City, Jayapura Regency, Keerom, Intan Jaya, Tolikara, Yahukimo and Jayawijaya.

In 2019 Election, there were 810,193 polling stations throughout Indonesia, and around 0.28% of the voters couldn’t vote on Wednesday, according to KPU.

The following is the number of polling stations (TPS) in 18 districts / cities that collected votes today:

    Jayapura City: 702 polling stations
   Jayapura Regency: 1 polling station
    Keerom Regency: 5 polling stations
    Waropen Regency: 9 polling stations
    Kabupaten Intan Jaya: 288 polling stations
    Tolikara Regency: 24: polling stations
   Pegunungan Bintang Regency: 1 polling station
    Yahukimo Regency: 155 polling stations
    Jayawijaya: 3 polling stations
    South Nias: 113 polling stations
    West Kutai: 20 polling stations
    Banggai: 391 polling stations
    Jambi: 24 polling stations
    Bintan Regency: 2 polling stations
    Banyuasin Regency: 445 polling stations
    Mahakam Ulu Regency: 4 polling stations
    Kutai Kartanegara: 8 polling stations
    Berau: 11 polling stations
    South Nias: 113 polling stations
    West Kutai: 20 polling stations

Picture Source: Bisnis.com

Leave a comment Posted on March 8, 2019March 8, 2019 News, Papua, West Papua

Armed Criminal Group Kills Three TNI in Nduga

Jayapura – Three members of Indonesia military (TNI) who were members of the Nanggala task force were reported killed by armed criminal groups (KKB) in Mugi District, Nduga District, Papua Province on Thursday.

Commander of XVII / Cenderawasih Major General TNI Joshua Sembiring confirmed this from Jayapura, the capital of the province Papua.

“It is true. But I haven’t received a full report about the incident”, said Major General Sembiring.

“How far is the progress, I have not received yet. Please contact Kapendam (Kodam Chief of Information) because currently I’m not in Papua”, he continued.

When asked about the reports of nine KKB being killed and five firearms brought by the KKB were successfully secured, Seimbing confirmed this as well, but for further details please contact Kapendam.

Meanwhile, the data gathered was revealed that the three soldiers who were killed in a gun battle with the KKB namely Serda Mirwariyadin, Serda Yusdin and Serda Siswanto.

Serda Mirwariyadin NRP 21150184631093 Position Babakduk unit 1/2/2/14, Serda Yusdin NRP 21150175490396 Position Barintis Unit 3/2/3/14, dan Serda Siswanto Bayu Aji NRP 21160168880494 Position Bakes Den 1/14.

Leave a comment Posted on March 8, 2019March 8, 2019 News, Papua, West Papua

At Least 3 Indonesian Soldiers Killed by National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB)

7 March 2019, Commander for Defence Area III of Ndugama, has seized 4 weapons, consist of 3 modern weapons and 1 minimi chain weapon.

During the fire contact accompanied by weapons deprivation, at least 3 Indonesian soldiers were killed on the spot in the Windi Village of Derakma District.

This situation happened at 12.30 p.m. It started with 8 Indonesian soldiers from the District Post who went to Widi Village and had a chance to meet with Amos Kogeya as well as his wife. Both of them were interrogated.

After the interrogation, Indonesian soldiers burnt 5 honai belongs to the locals. Because of this situation, TPNPB surrounded those Indonesian soldiers and fire contact was started. They were then involved in the chase which exhausted Indonesian soldiers. TPNPB succeeded to shoot them down and seized 4 weapons.

At 3.00 p.m, 2 choppers entered the area and evacuate the corpses. That is all the report from Ndugama by Egianus Kogeya via Operation Commander, Pemne Kogeya, to TPNPBnews.

Leave a comment Posted on March 8, 2019 News, Papua, West Papua

Three Indonesian Soldiers Killed in Fresh Papua Violence

Three Indonesian soldiers who attempted to guard the construction of a bridge had been massacred by the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB) in Nduga, Papua.

The soldiers had just arrived in Yigi village in Nduga district on Thursday (7/3) morning when they were suddenly attacked by a large group of 50-70 people from TPNPB.

It happened on the same ground where another massacre that killed at least 19 workers occurred back in December 2018.

Too many innocent souls had become victims of the separatists while taking part in efforts to boost infrastructure in Papua.

The world should know this truth – the one who should take responsibility for human rights violation in Papua is the separatist group, TPNPB.

Leave a comment Posted on January 11, 2019January 14, 2019 News, Opinion, Papua, West Papua

Ministry Seeks to Set Record Straight on Papua

Dian Septiari / The Jakarta Post

Indonesia is intensifying efforts to weed out what it calls “the threat of fake news” cast over the country’s easternmost provinces, just as Papuan separatist groups begin shifting from political to legal arguments to justify the local population’s right to self-determination.

The Foreign Ministry has found itself having to defend against legal claims to the right of Papuan self-determination, which it says have no grounds in Indonesia’s own history of independence, according to Damos Agusman, the director general for legal affairs and international treaties.

Damos said the right to self-determination argument was legally unsound as West Papua province was already included alongside Indonesia’s other regions in the country’s declaration of independence from the Dutch in 1945.

Citing an international law principle stipulating that newly formed sovereign states should retain the same borders as that of the preceding dependent area, he said the area now known as West papua was already part of the Dutch East Indies, according to its constitution from 1938.

He also defended the legitimacy of the 1969 “Act of Free Choice”, the result of an agreement between the Netherlands and Indonesia regarding the administration of the territory of West Papua signed in New York in 1962, saying it was a legitimate bilateral deal that could not be tampered with by third parties.

The ministry official informed people of the need to understand the historical context under which issues such as control over Papua was negotiated, especially in the context of colonialism.

“Self-determination must be based on several criteria, otherwise it will create chaos,” Damos told an audience of students in a seminar held at the ministry compound in Jakarta on Thursday (10/1).

The tone of Thursday’s seminar underscored Indonesia’s effort to push back on “fake news” that it says was being spread online by ill-minded activists from Indonesia and abroead.

In the past, the narrative carried by separatist groups focused more on political arguments such as the affinity of the Papuan people to the Melanesians of the South Pacific. “[Nowadays] we have detected that there are massive changes in their arguments – from political arguments to legal arguments that are wrong and misleading,” Damos said.

The issue of Papua has made it into Indonesia’s foreign policy priorities this year, despite years long efforts to stave off concerns from the international community about the country’s fight against separatist rebels.

The conflict between them flared again last month when armed separatists in Nduga, Papua killed more than a dozen people working on a trans-Papua highway construction site that was part of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s efforts to bring development to the province.

The issue was addressed by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in her annual policy speech on Wednesday, which saw her pledge to take firm action against any disryptions to Indonesia’s sovereignty, including hoaxes, lies and violent acts carried out by separatists and their supporters.

“Indonesia will not give up even an inch to defend the country’s sovereignty,” Retno said in her speech.

Speaking in the context of the Nduga attacks that led to the death of 19 PT Istaka Karya construction workers and one soldier, Retno said such “disturbances” would not reduce the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of the Papuan people.

On the foreign policy front, she said she would strengthen the Melanesian kinship not only among the provinces in the eastern part of Indonesia but also with the countries of the South Pacific.

Jakarta has drawn criticism for using military approach in dealing with security issues in Papua.

According to a statement by the Human Rights Working Group, sovereignty diplomacy, especially on the issues of Papua, “will be doomed to failure” if the state insists on employing security apreach and repression”.

Source: The Jakarta Post (11 January 2018)

Leave a comment Posted on December 5, 2018December 5, 2018 News, Papua, West Papua

Statement of the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing on the Shooting of Workers on the Bridge Construction in Papua

Jakarta – Amid the serious efforts of the Government through the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) to build infrastructure for equitable development in our country, especially those related to increasing inter-region connectivity to open isolated areas in Papua Province, an incident was perpetrated namely a shooting on the construction workers of the Aorak Kali Bridge (KM 102 + 525) and the Kali Yigi Bridge (KM 103 + 975) in Yigi District, Nduga District, Papua Province. The two bridge projects are part of Trans Papua segment 5, namely Wamena – Habema – Mugi – Kenyam – Batas Batu – Mumugu segment with a length of 278.6 km.

Based on information from the Papua Police Public Relations, December 3, 2018, the fatal shooting of workers from PT. Istaka Karya that occurred on Sunday, December 2, 2018 was allegedly done by the Armed Criminal Separatist Group (KKSB). We are still waiting for Confirmation from the Police and the Armed Forces on the number of workers who perished, sustained injuries and survived.

In response to the above, the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono conveyed several important matters at the press conference, on December 4, 2018 in the Press Room of the Ministry of PUPR, Jakarta, as follows:

We were shocked and deeply regret the re-occurrence of shooting on the construction workers of the Kali Yigi Bridge and the Aorak River Bridge on the Wamena – Habema – Kenyam – Batas Batu – Mumugu Section. We would convey our deep sorrow to the families of the workers from PT. Istaka Karya that fell victim.;
We reiterate that the construction of the Wamena – Habema – Mugi – Kenyam – Batas Batu – Mumugu section is a priority program in President Joko Widodo’s and Vice President Jusuf Kalla’s Working Cabinet, as the implementation of Nawacita’s vision of “Building from the Periphery”. Bapak Jokowi happened to come on a working visit to directly monitor the progress of road construction on this section on May 10, 2017, and assigned the Ministry of PUPR to accelerate the completion of the construction of roads and bridges on the section;
The construction of roads and bridges on this section has long been awaited by the local community and therefore received strong support from the people of Papua because it will be the closest route from the Port of Mumugu to the residents in the Central Mountains region. The existence of these roads is vital to reduce the cost of logistics and lower the level of expensiveness in the Central Mountains region of Papua;
Between 2016 and 2019, the Ministry of PUPR through the Papua XVIII National Road Implementation Center, Directorate General of Highways, has programmed the construction of 35 bridges on the Wamena – Habema – Mugi – Kenyam – Batas Batu – Mumugu section to complete the whole road infrastructure, of which the details are as follows :
- 14 bridges are being undertaken by PT Istaka Karya with a contract value of Rp 184 billion, where the construction of 11 bridges is under implementation, and 3 bridges will start construction in 2019;
- 21 bridges are being undertaken by PT Brantas Abipraya with a contract value of Rp 246.8 billion where the construction of 5 bridges has been completed (Gat III Bridge, Gat II, Arwana, Merek and Wusi), while 9 bridges are under implementation (al Kali Kotek I, Kali Wolgilik, Kali Jun, Kali Labi, Kali Abeak, Kali Simal, Kali Moit, Kali Dumit and Kali Rora). But, since 4 months this was stopped due to a serious secuirity disturbance with victims. 7 bridges will start construction work in 2019;
- Without bridges, road users must cross the river on this section. At present the construction of the 35 bridges has been 70% completed.
Considering the above mentioned matters, starting today (Tuesday, December 4, 2018) we will temporarily suspend the construction of bridges on the Wamena – Habema – Mugi – Kenyam – Batas Batu – Mumugu segments and will resume work according to the recommendations of the TNI and Polri;
For this reason, we fully support the efforts and quick steps of the security forces, both TNI and Polri, to find and to take firm action against the perpetrators so as to create a conducive atmosphere for staff, contractors and consultants who work for and on behalf of the Ministry of PUPR and the Ministry / Other Institutions to build infrastructure for the realization of social justice and welfare in Papua;

1 Comment Posted on December 4, 2018 News, Papua, West Papua

Papua Separatists Group Killed 31 Civilian Workers in Nduga

Jayapura – On Monday 03 December 2018 around 15:30. local time, the police had been informed that there had been killing of the PT Istaka Karya workers who were building bridges in Yigi River and Aurak River. It is informed that the killings of the workers occurred on Saturday and Sunday, 1-2 December 2018 in Yigi River and Aurak River, Nduga Regency, Province of Papua.

“31 people, according to report that we received, had been killed,” Head of Public Relation of Papua Regional Police, Ahmad Musthofa Kamal told CNN Indonesia via SMS, Tuesday (4/12)

Kamal explained that the suspected group initially killed 24 workers, on Saturday (1/12). Then, eight other workers fled and hid in the house of one of the local legislators. However, on Sunday (2/12), the group came to the house and executed seven of them.

“On Sunday they were visited by the group and executed. Seven people were shot dead, one person was unknown,” Kamal said, when interviewed by CNN Indonesia. “The group is still in Nduga,” he said.

The police then coordinated with the military and tried to get to the scene. However, the personnel have not been able to enter the location because the road access was blocked by the group, on Tuesday (3/12) before sunset.
“Our members have not yet arrived at the crime scene, the road to the crime scene was blocked,” Kamal said.

Earlier on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at around 20:30 local time, Mr. Cahyo (Project Manager of PT. Istika Karya Habema-Mugi bridge construction package) received a call from a number normally held by Mr. Jhoni (Field Coordinator of PT. Istika Karya working on the construction of the Habema-Mugi bridge project) but Mr. Cahyo did not understand what the person calling was talking about.

Mr. Jhoni (Field Coordinator of PT. Istika Karya is working on the construction of the Habema-Mugi bridge project, which is currently carrying out the construction of bridges in Aurak River, Umtlat River, Yigi River, Nigidirik River, in Yigi District of Nduga Regency). Last communication with Mr. Jhoni was via SMS on November 30, 2018.

Meanwhile, information from the 755 / Yalet Satgaspamrahwan post in Napua-Wamena said that on November 30, 2018 at 04.00, a car was registered with Mr. MS as the driver carrying diesel fuel owned by PT. Istaka Karya heading to the Istaka Karya Camp in Yigi District and brought 5 employees. The car arrived back in Wamena at 18.30.

Then on December 1, 2018 at 2:00, there were 2 cars heading to Yigi District Camp each carrying 15 workers of PT Istaka Karya. On December 2, 2018, at 20.00. 1 Strada car returned to Wamena and on Monday 3 December 2018, the car returned from Wamena to Mbua District, Nduga Regency.

One of the cars carrying 15 project workers from PT Istaka Karya has yet to return to Wamena. Receiving this information on Monday, December 3, 2018 at 15.30, joint police and military personnel led by the Head of Ops for Jayawijaya Regional Police, AKP. R.L. Stageary left from Wamena to Yigi District, Nduga Regency, but when they arrived at kilometer 46, the team met with a car from the direction of Bua District and informed them that the road was blocked.

Papua Police PR Head, Ahmad Musthofa Kamal, S.H said that currently the joint TNI / Polri personnel had been deployed to check the information and were always ready to evacuate the victims and arrest the perpetrators.

Leave a comment Posted on November 23, 2018 News, Papua

14 Papuan Youth join Diversity for the Nation Expedition

A total of 14 youths from Papua took part in the 2018 Bhinneka Bagi Bangsa (Diversity for the Nation) Expedition in Jatiluhur, West Java.

This expedition was held to commemorate the Sumpah Pemuda (Youth Oath) Day which fell on 28 October,

These young people are students from the Jayawijaya Educational Foundation, Mimika which was founded by PT Freeport Indonesia.

The 14 Papuan participants joined others from various parts of Indonesia in a five-day nature expedition and education activity from 24-28 October at OBI Eco Campus, Jatiluhur, Purwakarta, West Java.

In this activity, the participants took part in a natural expedition which included mountain climbing, flag raising, reading of the Youth Oath pledge, and mutual cooperation to build rafts.

At the end of the activity, they participated in a mini talk show at the Jatiluhur OBI Eco Campus, West Java.

“There are 14 children from Papua, they consist of junior high school students in grade 7, 8 and grade 9. In this activity, they become accustomed to being able to get along with friends from diverse backgrounds. They are used to being in a pluralistic environment. They live and attend school in the PT Freeport Indonesia corporate work area in Papua, where people value mutual respect,” said Head of Public Relations of the Jayawijaya Education Foundation, Omih Gobay in his press statement.

Wendy Kusumawidagdo as the initiator of the “Diversity for the Nation Expedition” said that this activity was expected to strengthen the bonds of the participants.

“We gather youth from Aceh to Papua, a total of 13 provinces, and consist of different ethnic groups, religions, ages and races. The children carry out various kinds of natural activities such as hiking and various other activities that train cooperation, tolerance and mutual understanding,” Wendy explained.

One of the participants from the Jayawijaya Educational Foundation Junior High School, Pamella, stated that this program enabled her to get to know the outside world more and have a broader perspective.

“I became more familiar with others, so I did not discriminate friends based on culture, ethnicity or skin color. I appreciate the difference more. I think diversity is very important to fight for. Because without diversity we cannot unite. Indonesia consists of various tribes and races, people that possess various kinds of diversities. Diversity as a strength to face challenges in the future. The diversity makes us one,” Pamella said.

Leave a comment Posted on November 12, 2018November 12, 2018 News, Papua, Uncategorized, West Papua

13 Regencies in Papua Generate USD 8.4 Million from Agriculture Products

By Akfa Nasrulhak – detikFinance

Jakarta – The Ministry of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration (Ministry of PDTT) together with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) checks and validates the Self-sustain Village Development Program (PPMD) in Abrose Village, Ransiki District, South Manokwari, West Papua.

Head of Sub-directorate of Technology Efficiency (Kasubdit TTG), Directorate of Natural Resource Utilization (PSDA) of the Directorate General of Community Development and Empowerment (DG PPMD) of PDTT Ministry of Agriculture, Anastutik Wiryaningsih revealed that the PPMD activities have been implemented since March 2017 and will end on 31 December 2018.

“In this period we carried out capacity building and community empowerment programs, especially in agriculture,” Anastutik said in a written statement on Thursday (11/08/2018).

Anastutik revealed that there were 13 districts where 6 districts in Papua and 7 districts in West Papua were targeted by the program and received funding in the form of grants and loans of USD 8.4 million from IFAD.

“The community is given training starting from cultivation or processing of chocolate or cocoa, seaweed, vanilla, to empowering women. The community is also taught to save their income and so on,” said Anastutik.

According to Anastutik, the year before PPDM came in, the community in Abrose complained about their cocoa plants being affected by tree diseases.

“Because the treatment were not good, cocoa has been stricken with disease. We gave proper treatment exercises. Now their cocoa is healthy and produce more,” she said.

PPDM has also succeeded in helping farmers to send 4 tons of seaweed from Fak Fak to Surabaya.

“In Fak Fak, seaweed is only valued at Rp. 6,000 per kg, in Surabaya the price can reach Rp. 18,000 per kg,” she said.

During the visit, Anastutik also took time to meet one of the 30 residents who were members of the PPMD program, Helena (60). Wearing a shirt with a picture of Monas and Bajaj bearing the Jakarta sign, Helena came out to meet the group from the Ministry of PDTT and IFAD in her newly built house in the middle of lush cocoa plants around her.

The location is not far from the Village Development and Community Empowerment Service (PPMK) of Ransiki District which is also the Capital of South Manokwari Regency, West Papua. Precisely in the village or village of Abrose which is on the roadside towards the city of Manokwari.

Helena, who was accompanied by Village Assistant Abrose Abdul Rahim Arkan Semoryai, said that the group’s success with the Independent Village Development Program (PPDM) was initiated by the Ministry of Defense PDTT and IFAD.

“We were taught how to take care of our cocoa, to cut, harvest, store and to dry,” said Helena.

Meanwhile, IFAD’s Country Program Officer Anissa Lucky Pratiwi said, in addition to conducting training to improve community skills in agriculture, IFAD is also starting to focus on how people in these villages can sell their produces.

“After they produce products in the agricultural sector, we also begin to think about how they can sell them to improve the community’s economy,” said Anissa who has participated in community empowerment programs in Indonesia for approximately 8 years. .

Funds from IFAD are used to organize various trainings in agriculture from planting, harvesting, post-harvest production, to marketing agricultural products. To support the training, various interactive and interesting modules are made that are easy to use

News Source: Detik Finance

Pic. Source: Flickr

Leave a comment Posted on November 5, 2018 News, Papua

Papua Governor Meets Minister of Youth and Sport regarding PON Preparation

The Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe, met with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Imam Nahrawi in the Ministry’s office on Thursday (1/11/2018). He reported on the progress of preparation for the 2020 National Sports Week (PON).

Lukas at the same time conveyed other things besides the development of PON. Among other things, changes to the Presidential Instruction relating to changes of the match venue and request to use equipment from the previous Asian Games and Asian Para Games during the event.

“So far the Papuans have expressed their readiness, both for the 2020 PON and for the National Student Sports Week (Popnas) 2019,” said Menpora Secretary Gatot S. Dewa Broto.

According to Gatot the changes of the venue include the hockey branch venue which was previously set in Jayapura will be moved to Biak. The Ministry also allow utilization of the equipment from the previous Asian Games and Asian Para Games

“The point is that it is permitted. But, the Provincial Government must send a letter to the Minister of Youth ans Sport and the Minister of Transportation regarding what items are needed,” Gatot explained.

“And if you ask, there must be a warehouse to store the equipments because the they must get out of Jakarta no later than the end of November.” he added.

On the other hand, Gatot added, Kemenpora is currently conducting stocktaking of the equipment used in the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games 2018.

Source: Detik.com

Leave a comment Posted on November 1, 2018 News, Papua

Archaeologist Finds Megalithic Statue in Srobu Site, Papua

By Alfian Rumagit / ANTARANEWS

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) – An archaeologist from Papua Archaeological Center, Erlin Novita Idje Djami, together with her team, has found two megalithic statues of Polynesian style on the Mount Srobu site located in Abepantai Village, Abepura District, Jayapura City, Papua Province.

“In 2018, we have made a spectacular discovery, namely two megalithic statues of Polynesian style. But, I prefer to call them the megalithic statues of Srobu Papua,” she stated here on Wednesday.

She added that the discovery was extraordinary and unique because the statues were different from those found in other areas in Papua.

The two statues are one meter high and weigh around 50 to 60 kilograms.

“The two statues and other cultural materials are being analyzed at the Papua Archaeological Center,” Djami noted.

She revealed that the Srobu Mountain Site is one of the important archaeological sites in Jayapura city. This site is located on a cape in Youtefa Gulf. This area is a place for some locals to look for shells as raw material to make lime that is used for chewing betel.

“In February 2014, we got information that there were bones found in Srobu Mountain. The locals guessed the bones were those of Japanese soldiers,” she remarked, adding that the Papua Archeology Center, together with the Provincial Culture and Tourism Office, later went to the location to check the information.

“Surprisingly, we not only found bones but also various cultural objects, such as pottery fragments, stone tools, and mollusks shells. I can say that this is one of the great archaeological sites in Papua,” Djami revealed.

After that, the Papua Archeology Center set up a plan to conduct the first research in 2014.

“That year, we carried out a surface survey but did not cover all areas. We also carried out excavations and found a number of stone axe artifacts, oval axes, and tools made of shells, beside pottery with beautiful decoration, “he added.

According to E Djami , the findings of cultural objects characterize a culture from prehistoric times.

“From the dating, the Mount Srobu site has been inhabited since 3,780 before present or BP. This means the site is from Neolithic era, showing that Papua already has an extraordinary culture,” she noted.

In addition to Neolithic culture, in 2015, the researchers also found megalithic relics, in the form of menhirs and dolmens, which were neatly arranged on the ground.

“We will continue this research until this year. So, every year, our research on the Srobu Site discovers unique new things that illustrate a cultural revolution at that location,” she explained.

He hoped that the Srobu Site could become one of the historical tourist destinations in Jayapura City in particular, and Papua, in general.

“This Srobu Site is an open prehistoric settlement. Neolithic settlements in Indonesia are very few, but in Papua, the findings of this culture are extraordinary,” she elaborated, adding that Srobu Site is more unique than all the Neolithic or prehistoric settlement sites in Papua.

Source: Antaranews.com

Leave a comment Posted on October 23, 2018October 23, 2018 News, Papua

Papua Province Exhibits Prehistoric Discoveries

Illustration: Prehistoric human skeleton in South Sulawesi. Source: Detik.com

The Papuan Archeology Center is holding an archaeological exhibition at Saga Mall, Abepura District, Jayapura, from 23 to 25 October 2018, to introduce historical and prehistoric discoveries to public.

The manager of archeology data at the Papuan Archaeological Center Adi Dian Setiawan who is also the chairman of the exhibition committee in Jayapura City, said Monday that the actor was open to the public, not limited by age.

“The objective of this exhibition is to showcase the results of archeological research in Papua to the wider community,” he said while accompanied by senior researcher Hari Suroto and colleagues from the Papua Archeology Institute when arranging a number of objects to be exhibited.

According to him, other objectives of the exhibition were to provide an explanation to the public about the importance of historical and prehistoric remains in Papua.

“This exhibition is also to receive any information from the community whether there are potential archeological remains in certain areas to be followed up to do research and so on,” he said.

Furthermore, the alumni of Gajah Mada University revealed that the exhibitions objects includes photographs of the research in the field, also colonial and prehistoric artifacts.

“From the colonial era we have bottles, bullets and relics from World War II, whereas from prehistoric times we have pottery, bones, skulls, then fossil shells,” he said.

In addition, continued Adi, there was one miniature unit of the escaping box that was exhibited along with other historical and prehistoric objects.

“We want to show how archaeological research is carried out, one of which is the excavation methodology to get original data from the ground,” he said.

Excavation, he said, is a method of obtaining data by digging up land that is believed to have historical or prehistoric value, using information from local residents.

In line with the statement, the Head of the Papuan Archeology Center Gusti Made Sudarmika said there were still many studies carried out by his party but not yet known by a wide audience.

“If people know about the importance of the research and understand what archeology is, usually they will provide information and the community can help in preserving historical and prehistoric remains, because they already understand its importance,” he said.