Strengthening National Values in Papua Must Be Based on Local Wisdom

Strengthening national values in Papua is considered necessary through an approach rooted in culture, local wisdom, and collaboration among elements of society. The Merauke Regency Government assesses this method as more effective in maintaining unity while strengthening the protection of civilians amidst diversity. This view was conveyed by the Acting Head of the National Unity and Politics Agency (Kesbangpol) of Merauke Regency, Sukito, while opening the Workshop Forum on Strengthening Advocacy Research and Network Strengthening in Civilian Protection organised by the Yayasan Merah Pusaka Stratejik Indonesia (MPSI) at the Careinn Hotel Merauke on Monday (29/6).

According to Sukito, strengthening nationalism cannot be sufficiently achieved through formal or administrative approaches but must rely on values that have lived within the community. ‘South Papua possesses very strong social capital in the form of customary values, the spirit of mutual cooperation, deliberation, respect for customary elders, and a culture of safeguarding communal life,’ Sukito said. He explained that this social capital forms an important foundation for strengthening national unity while creating a safe, peaceful, and inclusive community life.

‘National values are not merely the memorisation of Pancasila or state symbols. National values are about how these values live in the daily behaviour of the community. In Merauke, these values have long grown through a culture of mutual respect, inter-ethnic brotherhood, and respect for customary law. This is the social capital that must continue to be nurtured,’ he stated. Sukito also appreciated the organisation of the forum initiated by MPSI. According to him, the activity serves as a strategic space to strengthen unity amidst the diversity of Merauke’s community, which is inhabited by various indigenous Papuan tribes as well as people from various regions in Indonesia.

‘We appreciate this forum. We know that various indigenous Papuan tribes live side by side with people from various regions in Indonesia, making Merauke a miniature of diversity, and this must continue to be fostered as a gift of the nation’s pluralism,’ he explained. Furthermore, he assessed that the success in maintaining social harmony so far cannot be separated from the active role of customary leaders, religious leaders, women leaders, youth leaders, academics, local government, and civil society organisations that prioritise dialogue in resolving various issues.

‘Civilian protection is not solely the responsibility of state apparatus. It is a shared responsibility of all components of society. When networks of local actors work collaboratively, the potential for conflict can be prevented early through dialogue, deliberation, and cultural approaches that are more acceptable to the community,’ Sukito said. On that occasion, Sukito also stressed the importance of advocacy research as a basis for formulating public policies that are more accurate, participatory, and in line with the social characteristics of the Papuan people. He stated that various development programmes and civilian protection efforts should be compiled based on field data and the aspirations of indigenous communities so that the resulting policies truly address the community’s needs.

‘Strong advocacy must be supported by quality research. Without valid data, policies risk missing their target. Therefore, research is an important instrument for delivering equitable development while strengthening public trust in the state,’ he explained. Additionally, Sukito assessed that strengthening networks among stakeholders is also important for building an early detection system for potential social conflicts and threats to civilians. ‘Synergy between the government, security forces, customary institutions, universities, youth organisations, mass media, and non-governmental organisations will accelerate problem-solving through a collaborative approach that prioritises dialogue and respect for community rights,’ he clarified. Sukito hopes that all elements of society will continue to strengthen mutual trust and make local wisdom a foundation for maintaining national unity, especially in South Papua. He also hopes that the forum organised by MPSI will be able to generate various ideas and tangible contributions in strengthening research, advocacy, and civilian protection in South Papua. ‘My hope for the participants is that they can become agents of change in research and advocacy. I invite all participants to utilise the workshop as a shared learning space for strengthening advocacy research and developing networks of local actors,’ he concluded.