Arie Purnomo, Salmawati Salmawati, Masni Banggu

Political Representation of Indigenous Papuans in the Special Autonomy Era : Case Study of Local Democracy in Southwest Papua

Introduction

Political representation of indigenous papuans in the special autonomy era : case study of local democracy in southwest papua. Examines Indigenous Papuans' political representation in Southwest Papua under Special Autonomy. Symbolic despite policies due to structural barriers. Recommends reforms for inclusive local democracy.

Abstract

This study examines the dynamics of political representation of Indigenous Papuans (OAP) within the framework of Special Autonomy, particularly following the revision of Law No. 2 of 2021, with a focus on local democratic practices in Southwest Papua Province. The special autonomy policy was designed as an affirmative mechanism to ensure Indigenous Papuans political participation through reserved seats in district legislatures, the empowerment of the Papuan People's Assembly, and inclusive political party recruitment. However, significant implementation challenges persist at both structural and cultural levels. This research adopts a descriptive qualitative approach, utilizing in-depth interviews with customary leaders, DPRK members, youth activists, Indigenous Papuan youth, village heads, and NGO staff, alongside policy document analysis and statistical data from the Central Statistics Agency. The findings reveal that Indigenous Papuans representation in the Regional People's Representative Council and Papuan People's Assembly remains largely symbolic. Structural barriers—such as elite domination by non- Indigenous Papuans actors, money politics, and weak local institutions—hinder substantive political inclusion. Conversely, active participation in elections and development forums reflects a strong aspiration for political justice and identity recognition. This study highlights the need to strengthen the institutional role of the MRP, reform political party recruitment processes, and enhance local governance capacity in order to promote a more inclusive democratic system for Indigenous Papuans.

Review

This study addresses a critical and highly relevant topic: the political representation of Indigenous Papuans within Indonesia's Special Autonomy framework, specifically in Southwest Papua following the 2021 legal revisions. The abstract effectively highlights the tension between the policy's affirmative intentions – such as reserved seats and the Papuan People's Assembly – and the persistent challenges in their actual implementation. The chosen descriptive qualitative approach, utilizing a diverse array of in-depth interviews with key stakeholders from customary leaders to youth activists, alongside policy and statistical data analysis, promises a robust and nuanced understanding of local democratic practices. This multi-faceted methodology is well-suited to uncovering the complexities of political inclusion in a context marked by both structural and cultural barriers. The findings presented are particularly salient, revealing that the political representation of Indigenous Papuans in critical legislative and advisory bodies often remains largely symbolic. The abstract points to significant structural impediments, including elite domination by non-Indigenous actors, the pervasive influence of money politics, and the weakness of local institutions, which collectively undermine substantive political inclusion. This contrasts sharply with the observed strong aspirations for political justice and identity recognition among Indigenous Papuans, evidenced by their active participation in elections and development forums. This core tension between symbolic policy and unfulfilled aspirations forms the analytical crux of the research, suggesting that the mechanisms designed for empowerment may be inadvertently co-opted or rendered ineffective by entrenched power dynamics. The study concludes with timely and actionable recommendations, advocating for a strengthened institutional role for the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP), fundamental reforms in political party recruitment processes, and an enhancement of local governance capacity. These recommendations are crucial for translating the Special Autonomy policy's objectives into tangible political justice and identity recognition for Indigenous Papuans. This research offers valuable insights not only for Indonesian policymakers grappling with regional autonomy and ethnic minority representation but also contributes significantly to broader academic discourse on inclusive democracy, affirmative action, and the challenges of decolonization in post-authoritarian contexts. We look forward to seeing the full development of these compelling findings and recommendations.

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