Ministry of Human Rights Identifies Government Approach as Root Cause of Papua Development Failures
Deputy Minister of Human Rights (Deputy Minister HAM) Mugiyanto stated that past development failures in Papua often stem from government approaches that do not align with the local social and cultural context. He noted that many development programmes have ignored indigenous knowledge and the actual needs of Papuan communities.
“The failures in Papua’s development have often been caused by approaches that do not fit the local context and community needs,” Mugiyanto said at the Third APS Conference themed “Innovative Papua Development Based on Etnosains” at the Papua Youth Creative Hub (PYCH) in Jayapura on Friday (29 May).
He cited examples such as physical infrastructure projects like roads that sometimes damage productive customary lands. Additionally, health facilities like community health centres (puskesmas) are often ineffective as many communities prefer traditional medicine aligned with their culture.
Mugiyanto also stressed that Papua is not a blank canvas to be developed with a uniform central approach. He described Papua as a living space with rich cultural heritage and local knowledge systems proven over hundreds of years.
“This innovation means we are talking about building Papua without severing it from itself. Papua is not empty land, nor merely a territory. It is a living space for hundreds of civilisations,” he said.
Cultural data shows Papua has 301 tribes across seven customary regions with around 428 local languages. This diversity, Mugiyanto said, has given rise to etnosains—local knowledge systems in agriculture, healthcare, navigation, and environmental management.
He highlighted several effective examples of local knowledge, including the Dani tribe’s ukluk irrigation system, Asmat and Marin tribes’ sago management, and Biak tribe’s Manarmeri customary law regulating fishing to preserve marine ecosystems.
“This is not ancient knowledge. It is empirical data tested over centuries. When we ignore it, we discard affordable, effective solutions accepted by communities,” he explained.
From a human rights perspective, Mugiyanto said recognising etnosains is part of fulfilling cultural rights and community participation as stipulated in Article 28I of the 1945 Constitution.
“Development that ignores etnosains risks violating human rights principles. Embracing it strengthens social cohesion and public trust,” he stressed.
Mugiyanto further hoped the conference would produce concrete recommendations for local governments to incorporate into their Medium-Term Regional Development Plans (RPJMD). He also urged Papuan youth to preserve ancestral heritage amid modern scientific advancements.
“Let us build Papua not by imposing uniformity, but by celebrating diversity through grounded innovations from Papua’s land, forests, and seas,” he concluded.
The Third APS Conference was attended by academics, religious leaders, indigenous communities, and international partners from Japan. Also present were Deputy Interior Minister Dr Ribka Haluk, Papua Governor (Retired) Komjen Pol Mathius Derek Fakhiri, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, and Founder of Analisis Papua Strategis (APS) and APS Center for Development and Global Studies Laus D.C. Rumayom.
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