Jayapura, Jubi – Major General Yoedhi Swastono, Deputy Minister for Domestic Political Affairs of the Ministry of Political, Legal and Security Affairs, expressed his surprise when asked about a plan by the Indigenous Papuan Traders Solidarity (SOLPAP) to consult President Joko Widodo regarding the construction of a permanent market for indigenous Papuan women traders, known as mama-mama Papua.
“Filing summons? Well, it is clear that women traders must be included in the program. I have visited Papua twice,” Yoedhi told Jubi after the seminar on ‘Follow Up the President Jokowi’s Policies to Peace Land Papua held by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences on Wednesday (27/1/2016) in Jakarta.
However, he expected the Papuan women traders’ empowerment to be able to give contribution. Indeed it needs protection. He further said currently his office is coordinating with the National Development Planning Agency (Bapenas) to create a design of Papua Development. “Thus, we would submit our output to Bapenas for they have the entire description,” he said.
There were impression during his several visits to Papua, he often mentioned about the market for women traders in Sentani, Jayapura Regency as well as Youtefa traditional market, Jayapura Municipality and likely to forget the Papuan women’s aspiration to get a market construction for indigenous Papuan traders in the center of Jayapura City. Yoedhi said it is his task giving to Jokowi.
“Trial and error, that’s normal. Nothing is perfect including development. Improve the accomplished thing and fix the less. That’s all. It calls the philosophy of development,” he said.
Meanwhile, Victor Mambor who takes part providing advocacy for SOLPAP said the talk on market construction has been raised since 2003 but it has no result. “We are currently coming to a conclusion that this issue has become a project. It might those who stand around Jokowi and Provincial Government want to get this project. So it is now turning to a competition to get a project. It is not about to build a market anymore. It is not about the indigenous Papuan women traders. I am not at the conclusion. Therefore, we will file summons to the President Jokowi, maybe next week,” said Mambor. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
