Inequality and poverty are potential time bombs in Papua
Inequality and poverty are potential time bombs in Papua
That Papua is one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia is
beyond dispute, but what is less known to date is the deep
disparity that exists there.
The IFES public opinion survey found disparities not simply
between urban and rural, which is not that unusual in Indonesia,
but also between indigenous Papuans and migrants (which today
make up more than 40 percent of the population), and also between
the major tribes in the province.
The survey looked at various social and economic indicators in
the province, from access to education and health, to the means
of transportations and the economic conditions of the 2.3 million
population.
The disparities found are potential social time bombs that
could explode, lest the government in Jakarta and the Papuan
capital of Jayapura, quickly moved to redress them.
The gross inequalities in Papua found in the survey should
also serves as a warning to Jakarta to rethink about its plan to
split Papua into three provinces. That is, unless the government
in Jakarta had other than the well-being of the Papuan people in
mind.
The Papuan problem is already in a state of mess as it is
without the government complicating it by dividing the territory
into three parts, which would only exacerbate the existing
divisions revealed by the survey.
At first glance, the state of education in Papua did not look
all that bad. School participation, for example, is 85 percent on
average.
But of those going to school, one third misses class from time
to time, according to the survey.
The main reason for missing out on school is lack of finances,
but "need to help at home" and lack of transportation are
potentially other major problems. (Table 5).
Three in four (74 percent) students walk to school, and for
indigenous Papuans, the incidence of walking to school is even
higher at 82 percent.
Poverty in other words, has a lot to do with the poor rate of
school attendance among Papuan children.
Ignorance about school extends to parents, many of whom were
not aware that school fees for elementary and high school would
soon be dropped.
Again the disparity between tribes makes compelling study.
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Table 5. What is the main reason for not attending school?
Lani/Dani Yaly Asmat Marind Biak Sentani Moi Baham
Financial
constraints 65 83 99 76 43 39 39 67 Need
to help
out at home 16 8 0 12 0 17 32 3
Lack of transport 15 8 0 0 39 0 18 10
Too far away 0 0 0 8 13 17 0 7
Source: Public Opinion Survey Papua Indonesia, IFES
On health issues, the IFES survey found that for most Papuans,
going to puskesmas (the community health center) is the only
choice in seeking medical treatment in the apparent lack of
hospital and doctor's services.
Malaria is widespread, but to a lesser extent in the
mountaineous areas around Wamena, according to the survey. On
average, 77 percent of all Papuans have had at least one
household member contracting malaria in the last 12 months. For
some indigenous tribes, the incidence is significantly higher, up
to more than 90 percent in some cases. (Table 6)
Table 6. Have you or any member of your household suffered from
any of these diseases in the past 12 months?
Lani/Dani Yaly Asmat Marind Biak Sentani Moi Baham
Malaria 35 67 96 68 96 79 84 89
Digestion
system 16 35 1 21 0 2 21 2
Respiratory
system 5 15 10 13 2 5 15 5
Dengue 7 8 19 4 1 2 18 0
Other
disease 0 3 0 5 1 4 3 1
Disease
unknown 33 26 3 10 0 1 2 2
Never
been ill 37 18 4 20 4 19 8 11
Source: Public Opinion Survey Papua, IFES