Deputy Home Minister urges involvement of Indigenous Papuans for successful 2026 Economic Census

Deputy Home Minister Ribka Haluk is encouraging the implementation of the 2026 Economic Census in Tanah Papua to involve more Indigenous Papuans as field data collection officers. According to her, an approach that considers social and cultural aspects will facilitate the data collection process, especially in areas with complex geographical and social characteristics. “When recruiting human resources for data collectors down to the district level, there must indeed be a special policy; native Papuan children need to be appointed so there is no rejection,” Ribka said in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday. This was conveyed during a Joint Meeting with the Head of the Central Statistics Agency, which took place virtually from the Ministry of Home Affairs office in Jakarta on Monday. Ribka explained that the success of the census does not only depend on field officers but also requires full support from local governments and all stakeholders. Therefore, she requested that the census be carried out through close collaboration with governors, regents, and the regional leadership coordination forum in Tanah Papua. In addition, Ribka encouraged the implementation of a proactive outreach strategy, similar to that run by the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration, so that data collection can reach communities in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost regions. According to her, data accuracy is very important because it will form the basis for formulating various development policies, including the distribution of special autonomy funds, special allocation funds, and various other government programmes targeting the Papuan community. She said accurate data is needed so that the government’s development intervention efforts can be measured objectively. “If we remain like this, and then from year to year Papua’s data still shows poverty even though these programme interventions have been carried out by the government, the public image will be as if the Indonesian government has made no intervention,” she said. On the other hand, Ribka also appreciated the Central Statistics Agency for the synergy established so far in supporting the provision of national data. She affirmed the Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to be committed to providing technical support, assistance, and strengthening cross-sector coordination. Through these efforts, it is hoped the 2026 Economic Census will produce accurate, high-quality, and accountable data. “I, together with colleagues from the technical team of the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration and also from the Directorate General of Regional Development, will always be ready to support at any time until we can produce the data provision products required for the 2026 census,” she concluded.