Poverty and inequalies are potential social time bombs<\/p>\n
That Papua is one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia is
\nbeyond dispute, but what is less known to date is the deep
\ndisparity that exists there.<\/p>\n
The IFES public opinion survey found disparities not simply
\nbetween people in urban and rural areas, which is not that
\nunusual in Indonesia, but also between indigenous Papuans and
\nmigrants (which today make up more than 40 percent of the
\npopulation), and also between the major tribes in the province.<\/p>\n
The survey looked at various social and economic indicators in
\nthe province, from access to education and health, to the means
\nof transportation and the economic conditions of the 2.3 million
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
The disparities found are potential social time bombs that
\ncould explode, lest the government in Jakarta and the Papuan
\ncapital of Jayapura quickly move to redress them.<\/p>\n
The gross inequalities in Papua found in the survey should
\nalso serve as a warning to Jakarta to rethink its plan on
\nsplitting Papua into three provinces. That is, unless the
\ngovernment in Jakarta has anything other than the well-being of
\nthe Papuan people in mind.<\/p>\n
The Papuan problem is already a mess without the government
\ncomplicating it by dividing the territory into three parts, which
\nwould only exacerbate the existing divisions revealed by the
\nsurvey.<\/p>\n
At first glance, the state of education in Papua did not look
\nall that bad. School participation, for example, is 85 percent on
\naverage.<\/p>\n
But of those attending school, one third misses class from
\ntime to time, according to the survey.<\/p>\n
The main reason for missing on school is lack of finances, but
\n"need to help at home" and lack of transportation are other
\npotentially major problems. (Table 5).<\/p>\n
Three in four (74 percent) students walk to school, and for
\nindigenous Papuans, the incidence of walking to school is even
\nhigher at 82 percent.<\/p>\n
Poverty, in other words, has a lot to do with the poor rate of
\nschool attendance among Papuan children.<\/p>\n
Ignorance about school extends to parents, many of whom are
\nunaware that school fees for elementary and high school will soon
\nbe dropped.<\/p>\n
Again the disparity between tribes makes compelling study.<\/p>\n
.tb0.1" 1.0" 2.0" 2.5" 3.2" 4.0" 4.6" 5.4" 6.0"
\nTable 5. What is the main reason for not attending school?<\/p>\n
Lani\/Dani Yaly Asmat Marind Biak Sentani Moi Baham<\/p>\n
Financial
\nconstraints 65 83 99 76 43 39 39 67 Need
\nto help
\nout at home 16 8 0 12 0 17 32 3
\nLack of transport 15 8 0 0 39 0 18 10<\/p>\n
Too far away 0 0 0 8 13 17 0 7
\n Source: Public Opinion Survey Papua Indonesia, IFES<\/p>\n
On health issues, the IFES survey found that for most Papuans,
\ngoing to a puskesmas (community health center) is the only choice
\nin seeking medical treatment in the apparent lack of hospital and
\ndoctor's services.<\/p>\n
Malaria is widespread, but to a lesser extent in the
\nmountainous areas around Wamena, according to the survey. On
\naverage, 77 percent of all Papuans have had at least one
\nhousehold member contract malaria in the last 12 months. For some
\nindigenous tribes, the incidence is significantly higher, up to
\nmore than 90 percent in some cases. (Table 6)<\/p>\n
Table 6. Have you or any member of your household suffered from
\nany of these illnesses in the past 12 months?<\/p>\n
Lani\/Dani Yaly Asmat Marind Biak Sentani Moi Baham<\/p>\n
Malaria 35 67 96 68 96 79 84 89<\/p>\n
Digestive<\/p>\n
problems 16 35 1 21 0 2 21 2<\/p>\n
Respiratory<\/p>\n
problems 5 15 10 13 2 5 15 5<\/p>\n
Dengue 7 8 19 4 1 2 18 0<\/p>\n
Other<\/p>\n
illness 0 3 0 5 1 4 3 1
\nIllness
\nunknown 33 26 3 10 0 1 2 2
\nNever
\nbeen ill 37 18 4 20 4 19 8 11
\nSource: Public Opinion Survey Papua, IFES<\/p>\n
"The results on this survey indicate that many areas of Papua,
\nespecially rural areas, suffer from inadequate health facilities.
\nWhile the diet of most respondents includes a good mix of
\nnutrients, a significant percentage of respondents indicate that
\nthey need to boil their water before drinking in most areas," the
\nsurvey said in its summary of the health condition.<\/p>\n
"As with education, there has been little investment in public
\nhealth infrastructure in Papua over the last few years."<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/poverty-and-inequalies-are-potential-social-time-bombs-1447893297",
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