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Back to Home Page City News September 10, 2000
The empowerment and independence of the Irianese society
By Frans Maniagasi
Indonesia's easternmost province of Irian Jaya is bordered by the
Pacific Ocean to the north, Maluku province to the west, Australia to
the south and Papua New Guinea to the east.
At its broadest points, it is 1,221 kilometers from east to west and
990 kilometers from north to south. Its total land mass is 414,800
square km, comprising 13 regencies and mayoralties and 253 ethnic
groups, each of which has its own dialect.
Irian Jaya's topography is vast. From its geological history, we know
that the earth's outer crust once shifted frequently here, resulting
in striking differences in certain areas.
Irian Jaya has numerous lakes, swamps and rivers, including the Tami,
Wirawoi, Biri, Tor and Mamberamo rivers that empty into the Pacific
Ocean; the Warsamson, Kais, Kemundan and Wiriagar rivers that empty
into the Seram Sea; the Goseroi River that empties into the Banda Sea;
and the Lemsuri, Orutu, Uta, Setakwa, Blumbu, Dumas and Balim empty
into the Arafura Sea.
Its lakes include the Rombebai, Paniai, Sentani, Yamur, Tigi and Bira.
Irian Jaya is three times the size of Java island and takes up almost
22 percent of Indonesia's total width. The current population is
approximately 2.355 million people, which is a population density of
less than six people per square km.
Population is an important factor because it is one of the indicators
used to determine the dynamics of development activities in certain
areas. However, in Irian Jaya, population is not the only crucial
problem that needs extraordinary attention.
One of its most difficult problems is that the province is isolated
due to its poor infrastructure; it is isolated not only geographically
but also socially and culturally.
As a result, Irian Jaya's socioeconomic development is ironic --
transportation costs are high. Most primary needs have to be supplied
from other areas by plane due to a lack of roads.
Based on a socioanthropological analysis, social groups in the
hinterlands are still in a subsystem cultural pattern as they still
rely on collection activities in meeting their daily needs.
Seen from an ecological perspective, such a life pattern is a
reflection of the attitude of "ecosystem inhabitants", meaning that
geographical areas force them to rely on the ecosystem. They develop
their own culture as they live with nature. They are practically
unaware of modern technology. They just use minimum technology, if
any, to carry out their subsystem activities.
Living with subsystem activities does not necessarily mean that the
society in Irian Jaya's hinterlands is poor in natural resources.
Research on potential resources in this area indicates that it is rich
in natural resources. For example, Irian Jaya's mangrove swamps have
resources of milkfish, shrimp and crabs that can be used in trading.
The swampy areas in the north and south of Irian Jaya, with a total
area of about one million hectares, are rich in swamp trees like sago.
Its lowlands have rain forests, while its mountainous areas in the
middle part of the province are rich in trees such as the ponetia,
ficus, alstonia and terminalia.
Moreover, the province is rich in mining and mineral resources; for
example, copper in Mimika, natural gas and oil in Sorong, uranium in
Manokwari and gold in Nabire. It is also rich in marine resources such
as tuna and skipjack.
One of Irian Jaya's problems is that the Papuans are still living in
poverty. They should be empowered. How can they be empowered? Humans
will, by nature, live in a society and adopt a culture in order to
survive and to sustain their environment. The process of interaction
between humans and their environment -- as is reflected in the
"ecosystem society" -- therefore, should be used as a starting point
for their empowerment.
This means that our knowledge about the behavior of the ecosystem
society must be used as a basis for an introduction of any development
program.
Because the ecosystem behavior is a reflection of the society's
knowledge and way of life, its patterns must be modified and
formulated into economic, social and cultural institutions so that
society members can use them as their symbols of thought and behavior.
The synchronization of ecosystem behavioral factors and the economic,
social and cultural institutions, therefore, is expected to
crystallize into new values for the local society. Such values will
become the core of the culture, which can be used as a reference for
the empowerment of the local society.
Thus, future development programs in Irian Jaya must be supported by
the development of the local society's own values. Development
programs will not be focused merely on physical needs but also on
institutional development based on a culture that guarantees the
respect of human dignity.
So, the empowerment of the society will mean giving "independence" to
the society, to develop itself in order to achieve prosperity,
equality and justice.
Frans Maniagasi is an Irian Jaya social affairs observer.
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