The West Papua Provincial Government will for the first time conduct a public consultation with stakeholders and also representatives of the community including indigenous peoples. The first public consultation aims to revise the regional spatial plan. The points discussed are about the follow-up to the implementation of special autonomy which has resulted in a new autonomous region as part of the expansion of West Papua Province, namely the inauguration of South West Papua. The boundaries of West Papua and South West Papua need to be discussed regarding how the regional spatial plan includes administrative boundaries. Previously, the regional spatial plan had been formalized through West Papua Regional Regulation Number 3 of 2022 concerning the 2022-2024 regional spatial plan. The expansion of the new province means that the regional regulation must be revised so that it can run in accordance with the reality that occurs in society.
The revision of the regional spatial plan that occurred in West Papua Province involved synergy and collaboration between the regional government, private parties, state apparatus including security forces, academics, and most importantly the involvement of the community directly affected by the implementation of applicable regional regulations. There are four points discussed in the public consultation on the revision of the regional spatial plan. First, the potential for regional development. Second, increasing accessibility between regions with the distribution of equitable infrastructure. Third, environmental sustainability based on ecological balance. Fourth, spatial management involving the empowerment of indigenous communities by giving them an important role.
The first point about the potential for regional development is a follow-up to changes in regional and administrative boundaries as an impact of the expansion that occurred in West Papua Province with the presence of a new province, namely South West Papua Province. The regional government with various parties needs to discuss the new boundaries and also rearrange how the potential available in the community can be maximized in various aspects of life.
The second point about increasing accessibility between regions with the distribution of equitable infrastructure will further discuss how the government can provide transportation services so that each region in West Papua Province can be connected to each other. In addition, of course, a new distribution route is needed considering that regional boundaries are also being updated along with the expansion of new autonomous regions.
The third point on environmental sustainability based on ecological balance will discuss how people living in the Province of West Papua must be able to jointly maintain the sustainability of nature in balance with daily productivity activities. It is undeniable that the people there still live dependently on nature, so there needs to be a regional government that produces regional regulations to ensure the sustainability of environmental sustainability.
The fourth point on spatial management involves empowering indigenous people by giving them an important role as a manifestation of the revised regional spatial plan in accordance with the special autonomy given to the Province of West Papua. The existence of special autonomy means that indigenous Papuans, including indigenous people, must be given an important role for the progress of the province in various aspects of life.