President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono held a meeting with Papuan church leaders on Wednesday in which he again pledged to intensify measures needed to promote peace and boost people’s welfare in the region.
Thirteen leaders of a variety of Papuan churches attended the meeting, held in the Wisma Negara hall at the Presidential Palace compound, including senior Jayapura Archdiocese official and Peace Papua Network coordinator Father Neles Tebay, branch chairman of the Evangelic Church Assembly in Indonesia Rev. Lipiyus Biniluk and Rev. Isai Doom from the Tabernacle Pentecostal Church (GPT).
Home Minister Gamawan Fauzi and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto also attended.
“The President has observed the church leaders’ aspirations. He has directed all related bodies and offices to implement the necessary measures to boost Papuan people’s welfare. For example, establishing a more efficient shipping mechanism to reduce cement prices,” Gamawan told reporters after the meeting.
“Sufficient infrastructure and facilities are keys to help reduce prices in Papua. Thus, speeding up infrastructure development in the region will be our priority. We have been pushing the House of Representatives to approve the budgets required to implement such projects.”
Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said “constructive dialogue” would continue under the coordination of Vice President Boediono.
In December 2011, President Yudhoyono met with four Papuan church leaders from different denominations. They were Rev. Jemima M. Krey of the Evangelical Christian Church in Papua, Rev. Benny Giay of the Papua Kingmi Church, Rev. Socratez Sofyan Yoman of the Alliance of Baptist Churches in Papua and Rev. Martin Luther Wanma of the Indonesian Bible Christian Church.