Minister Deploys 1,200 'Patriots' to Accelerate Papua Development

Transmigration Minister M. Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara stated that the government is striving to accelerate the development of transmigration areas in Papua by optimising local potential and enhancing community capacity. One such effort involves the placement of 1,200 participants from the 2026 Patriot Expedition Team (TEP) across several transmigration areas in Papua. The TEP participants consist of academics, researchers, and experts from various universities. They are tasked not only with conducting research and mapping but also with helping communities increase productivity and income, develop local businesses, open market access and investment, and create jobs. “The most important thing is how much impact is generated. The measure is not how many participants we send, but the real change we leave behind for the community,” Iftitah said during a Government Press Conference at the Bakom RI Auditorium, State Palace Complex, Jakarta, on Wednesday, 12 August 2026. Out of a total of 1,476 TEP 2026 participants, approximately 1,200 people, forming around 200 teams, are placed in Papua. According to Iftitah, this placement is part of the government’s effort to accelerate equitable development and improve community welfare, particularly in eastern Indonesia. Iftitah said the presence of the Patriots must provide benefits that can be directly felt by the community. Therefore, the programme’s success is measured not only by research activities but also by the problems successfully solved, the technology that can be applied, the increase in productivity and income, and the growth of businesses and jobs. “Success is measured by the problems solved, the technology used by the community, increased productivity and income, upgraded MSMEs and local businesses, products with added value, open markets and offtakers, and the investment and jobs created,” he said. According to Iftitah, development in Papua must be tailored to the characteristics of each region. Land conditions, weather, terrain, leading commodities, and the social and cultural character of the community are considerations in determining the programmes to be implemented. “There is no one-size-fits-all development in this country. The system must be tailor-made. Each region has different potentials and problems. Therefore, the approach cannot be uniform,” he said. This approach, Iftitah said, is expected to make development more targeted. In areas with agricultural potential, for instance, the Patriots can help increase production, post-harvest processing, and open marketing access. Meanwhile, in areas with local superior products, assistance is directed at improving quality, packaging, production capacity, and selling value. The Patriots are placed in several transmigration areas in Papua, including Lereh in Jayapura; Senggi in Keerom; Salor and Muting in Merauke; Prafi in Manokwari; Momiwaren in South Manokwari; Werianggi-Werabur in Wondama Bay; Bomberay-Tomage and Weri-Saharey in Fakfak; and Klamono-Segun in Sorong. The assignment involves 10 partner universities: Bandung Institute of Technology, Diponegoro University, IPB University, Gadjah Mada University, Airlangga University, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, University of Indonesia, Padjadjaran University, Hasanuddin University, and Brawijaya University. Iftitah said the involvement of universities is expected to bring science and technology closer to the community. According to him, the knowledge produced by universities should not stop in lecture halls, journals, or laboratories, but should be used to answer development problems in the regions. “We want to bring a flood of science and technology to transmigration areas. Knowledge must reach the community and become a tool to increase their productivity, income, and welfare,” he said. TEP 2026 is a continuation of the programme run in 2025. At that time, 2,000 researchers were deployed to 154 transmigration areas to map the potential and problems in each region. The results of that mapping serve as the basis for the government to determine more concrete interventions this year. If the 2025 programme focused on identifying potential and problems, TEP 2026 is directed at implementing solutions and creating economic impact. The government has also reduced the scope of assisted areas from 154 to 53 priority areas so that resources and programmes can be more concentrated. “Our focus is no longer just expanding reach, but increasing benefits. Especially in eastern Indonesia, development must truly deliver a more productive, prosperous, and dignified life for the community,” Iftitah said.