The Chief of the Kuri Wamesa-Soug Tribe Supports the Sustainability of the Trans Papua Road

The head of the Kuri Wamesa-Soug tribe, Teluk Wondama district, West Papua province, Sefnat Kurube, supports the sustainability of the West Papua trans road project in his customary territory.

Sefnat Kurube said this after the claim for customary rights of indigenous peoples in part of the 71-kilometer trans-West Papua road project linking four sub-districts and two districts. "I guarantee that the claim for customary rights of indigenous peoples will not hinder the progress of improving the trans-West Papua road in the public interest," said Sefnat Kurube on an occasion in Wasior sub-district, Teluk Wondama district, Saturday (11/13).

According to him, the opening of road access will actually have a positive impact on equitable development efforts to remote areas including their customary areas. He explained that the demands for the customary rights of the community around the national project area have become the attention of the local government as agreed previously with the indigenous peoples who own the customary rights.

"There is a demand for compensation for customary rights, but it will be gradually resolved by the regional government, but this national project must still run for the sake of development," he said.

Therefore, Sefnat Kurube hopes that the local government will not ignore the rights and interests of indigenous peoples, considering the trans-West Papua route through the community's customary lands which also have sacred places according to the local wisdom of the local community.

"I hope that the local government of Teluk Wondama and West Papua Province will immediately respond to the rights of indigenous peoples that apply to this Papuan land so as not to cause social conflict between fellow indigenous peoples, so that it has an impact on disrupting the trans road improvement activities," he said.

It is known that President Jokowi's priority project since 2015 has entered the stage of improving roads connecting three sub-districts in the Teluk Wondama district, namely Nikiwar, Windesi, Werabur and Werianggi, to Tahota sub-district in the South Manokwari district.

SOURCE: https://indonesiatimur.id/2021/11/14/head-suku-besar-kuri-wamesa-soug-support-keberlanjutan-jalan-trans-papua/