President Joko Widodo has proclaimed his commitment to bolster Indonesia’s regional policy in Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya). The policy will combine the welfare approach with an intensified security apparatus in the ‘black pearl’.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has affirmed that special attention would be given to the Papua region comprising the two provinces of Papua and West Papua. The region has endured a low-level guerrilla insurgency from a militant Papuan independence movement since 1969. Under the nationalist doctrine of Trisakti, the new policy will focus on bolstering capacities to bring about greater security to the conflict-prone and outermost areas such as Papua.

The two provinces had significantly contributed to Jokowi’s victory in the 2014 presidential election.Owing to the trust that Papuans have for him, Jokowi has scheduled three visits a year to that region. His visits are seen as symbolic to win the hearts of the Papuans. The scheduled visit on 1 May 2015 coincided with the day of Papua’s integration with Indonesia; which some Papuans view derisively as annexation day. The trip was postponed reportedly due to strong resistance from one of the armed criminal groups which had threatened to spread chaos if the president proceeded with the visit to Papua.

… Emirza Adi Syailendra is a Research Analyst at the Indonesia Programme of the S. Rajaratnam of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.