Timika (ANTARA) - The Amungme and Kamoro Community Empowerment\nFoundation (YPMAK), which manages PT Freeport Indonesia\u2019s partnership\nfunds, supports the Mimika administration in Central Papua in discussing\ntransport difficulties currently faced by communities in Mimika\u2019s\ncoastal and mountainous areas.<\/p>\n
YPMAK Chair Leonardus Tumuka said in Timika on Monday that sea and\nair transport were among the obstacles residents faced in bringing\nagricultural and fishery products to market in Timika.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a strategic partner of the government, we are ready to sit down\nwith the authorities and other stakeholders to discuss and find\nsolutions to the transport problems currently affecting the community,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Leonardus said conditions in waters across several coastal areas were\nalso a concern. Shallowing was occurring in both the east and west, and\nthe situation was being compounded by factors such as erosion.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people choose to travel by sea, it is also very dangerous\nbecause the weather is unpredictable and poses a serious risk to them,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said better transport access would have a direct impact on\npeople\u2019s lives, particularly by enabling residents to travel and\nallowing local businesses to distribute their products from coastal and\ninland areas to the city centre.<\/p>\n
Leonardus hoped residents could travel more frequently and according\nto a regular schedule. This would make it easier for them to travel to\nand from their villages and bring their catches and garden produce to\nthe city for sale.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransport access here is especially important for residents\ntravelling to and from their villages. If possible, services should run\nregularly and frequently throughout the week. This would also help move\ncatches and garden produce directly to the city,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Transport access in the mountainous areas must also be a shared\nconcern, so that residents there can transport their agricultural\nproduce.<\/p>\n
In the short term, ensuring transport access is particularly\nimportant to support communities, he said.<\/p>\n
For the long term, he also called on the government to ensure that\nroads connect to the far western and far eastern parts of Mimika.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should try to improve the topography, which has become shallow as\na result of erosion. Other areas of Papua need sand; could this sand be\nmoved to Merauke and Asmat? This needs to be done with all stakeholders\nworking together to help our communities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mimika\u2019s mountainous areas also face transport difficulties, and\nresidents there have a very hard time accessing essential services.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to discuss this together until we reach a complete solution,\nand determine what the long-term approach should be,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said improving transport access was essential to strengthening\nconnectivity and boosting economic activity among communities in\nMimika\u2019s coastal and mountainous areas.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ypmak-backs-government-talks-on-transport-challenges-facing-communities-1792425076", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }