A Papua community leader says Indonesia infrastructure development plans for the region must be coupled with the empowerment of its human resources.
Neles Tebay of the West Papua Catholic Justice and Peace Secretariat, as well as the Papua Peace Network. Photo: UCA News
Jakarta has recently unveiled plans for major roads, rail and hydro-development in Papua and West Papua.
The Jakarta Post reported the co-ordinator of the Papua Peace Network and Catholic priest Neles Tebay saying that without skilled human resources, the Papuan people would only be spectators of the economic achievements happening in their own home.
He said Papuans appreciated the infrastructure development initiated by President Joko Widodo, but improved connectivity had also attracted skilled and experienced workers from outside of the region.
Father Tebay said a lack of skills was alienating Papuans from activities in their own villages.
He said if this continued, the government's efforts to develop Papua would be fruitless.
