Collective Effort and Shared Responsibility during COVID-19 Pandemic in Papua: The Power of Community
COVID-19 has not only changed the way we live our life, but it has changed the way we interact towards each other. Ever since the Indonesian government instructed social distancing to slow down the spread of the virus in early March 2020, there have been so many unprecedented changes in progress in the society, where Papua and West Papua provinces are in no exception.
As COVID-19 has transformed from a health crisis to a socio-economic crisis, it requires not only a health approach to curb the pandemic, but also a collective response which rests on the humanitarian approach. A fast collective COVID-19 response, solidarity, and humanity are therefore prominent to win the battle against the virus.
Leading through the Pandemic
In a time of crisis, the role of government is becoming far more crucial as they have to act quickly and decisively in dealing with the mitigation effort and economic disruption as its consequences. However, bureaucracy issue remains one of the most challenging issues that happened including the different points of view on how the country and local authorities responding to the case. The degree of setting a priority for the public health emergency issue and how to cope with such emergency has been the highlight of how the authority works.
In Papua province, Vice Governor Klemen Tinal has initiated the delivery of basic food packages assistance and masks to various communities there, such as Laskar Kristus orphanage in Sentani Barat, Pelangi orphanage, Pos Tujuh Sentani nursing homes in Jayapura, and Pesantren Hidayatullah in Jayapura. The Vice Governor in his official statement said, “Today, we (provincial government) visited the district and city of Jayapura in order to see directly the situation in the field, including the social interaction in the community, and we want to get the direct community response about the impacts of COVID-19 to the people in Jayapura. “
Meanwhile, as part of the national commitment to address the socio-economic disruptions due to COVID-19 such as reduced production, distribution difficulties, and shortage of essential commodities, Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs provided social assistances to around 80, 526 families in Papua Province whose live and jobs are heavily affected by the pandemic through the social safety net program.
In accordance with the national government’s commitment to ensure the delivery of essentials and basic income support for everyone during pandemic, Head of Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of Papua Province Yohanis Walilo in his press conference (29/4/2020) stated the Papua has allocated 312 billion rupiah for tackling COVID-19, with 72 billion for health sector, 75 billion for economic sector, and 140 billion for social safety net. Distributions are in the forms of cash transfers (Bantuan Langsung Tunai or BLT), family hope program (Program Keluarga Harapan or PKH), and social safety network (Jaring Pengaman Sosial or JPS).
Since food is a basic need, food supplies is one of the critical issues that needs to be addressed immediately as a consequence of the increasingly widespread impacts of th COVID-19 pandemic. Responding this, the Papuan government decided to purchase the agriculture products from the local mama-mama merchant in the districts of North Jayapura, South Jayapura, Abepura, Heram, and several other locations around Jayapura city in order to be distributed to the people in need.
These agriculture products which consist of five tons of cassava, sweet potato, taro, long beans, banana, salak, mango, pumpkin, and vegetables are channeled back as social assistance for the Papuans. One of Papua’s mama-mama merchant, Nelina Wenda, representing her communities thanks to the Papua Province government for having purchased their agricultural products since there has been a sharp decline of buyers during the pandemic.
Apart from that, Indonesian Police (POLRI) also provides aids to around 4,356 drivers which consists of 662 taxi driver, 2,533 angkot driver, 439 truck driver, 722 ojek driver, and 130 pedicab driver in the Papua Province who have been severely affected by the spread of COVID-19 by the incentive for three consecutive months.
While in Merauke, Indonesian Army joining the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border patrol or Satgas Pamtas Indonesia are sharing the basic food packages to the residents of Kampung Bupul, Eligobel District, Merauke, Papua on Sunday (3/5/2020). They visited local residents’ house and sharing those packages while also implementing the social distancing practice during delivery.
Despite all of these efforts, poor data management on the recipients of all social assistance program can be such a grievance on the ground as some people whose social and economic conditions are vulnerable may not be registered as beneficiaries in the government’s social safety net programs database yet.
This poor data management could predictably lead to the maladministrations in the distribution of social assistance ranging from procedural irregularities to abuse of authority. Therefore, central and local government need to be more serious and innovative in updating and synchronizing the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS) to ensure that the assistance can be effectively distributed so that no one left behind. Collaboration with other institutions may be used as an alternative while upholding the principle of personal data protections.
Whole-of-Society Responses to contain COVID-19
In most of the developing countries like Indonesia, balancing the economy and public health is felt more acurately, coupled with the economic downturns and social ramifications that are also happening. In response to this complex situation, it is important to underline the signifinace of a whole-of-society approach to COVID-19 which emphasizes on the significant roles played not only by the health sector, but also by all other sectors, individuals, families, communities, in mitigating the effects of the pandemic through the bottom-up initiatives.
The social restrictions taking place all over the place due to the pandemic have forced us to reflect on our roles in society and what we ought to do to anticipate the other threat that may happen in the future. The whole-of-society approach can therefore be such alternative for addressing the extraordinary impacts of the COVID-19 in the society, not to mention the efforts that government has been doing in mitigating the pandemic impacts to our livelihood.
This whole-of-society approach underlines the roles of everyone, including community, civil society organizations, companies, and businesses. This trend has been flourishing as signs of citizens’ solidarity towards others which promotes mutual support.
PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) in cooperation with COVID-19 Task Force of Mimika are delivering packages of basic foods for around 4,200 people directly affected by COVID-19 who are living near the company’s site of Mimika.
The first batch of this package has been delivered gradually to Kamaro community in five villages; Koperapoka, Ayuka, Tipuka, Nawaripi, and Nayaro, as well as the Ex-Banti residents who are moving to Timika. In addition to that, PTFI through Yayasan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Amungme dan Kamoro (YPMAK) also delivered the aid distributed for Mimika Regency, Papua Province, and national government in total 5 billion.
Meanwhile, Nahdhlatul Ulama (NU) Sorong Regency, West Papua gives hundreds of basic foods packages to the lower middle income community in six districts namely Aimas, Mariyat, Mayamuk, Salawati, Moisegen, and Klamono. Besides those packages, NU Sorong Regency has also already distributed 5000 masks to people in Aimas, Klamono, Salawati, and Moisegen who cannot work from home such as ojek drivers, merchants, and other daily workers who have to work outside.
Despite the spirit of mutual assistance and solidarity that many people have been doing through participating in delivering such humanitarian aids, including money, foods, and other forms of charity, there may come a time of donor fatigue or a situation where people find it exhausting to contribute given the long period of the pandemic faced.
Other challenge that may happen is on the provision of such assistances from targeting, guaranteeing that the benefits can offset lost income, the implementation periods, financial capacity, until the potential of creating dependency. Thus, it is crucial to keep the participation at pace and manage it carefully with the government’s unity of direction and leadership. In doing such noble acts, good will may not be enough, it surely requires collaboration, coordination, and capacity building for all parties, including the central govermment, local government, private sectors, civil society organizations, communities, and media.
A Call for Transparency and Accountability
The depth of the crisis has led governments all over the world to increase their budget deficit including Indonesia. The current deficit target is expected by 5.07% of GDP while Indonesian Law on State Financial mandates a deficit cap no more than 3%. As the House of Representatives passes Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) №1/2020 recently, this law will expand the government’s authority to allocate more funds for coronavirus aid this year through a presidential regulation (Perpres) which does not require House approval. A total of Rp 405.1 trillion (US$24.6 billion) will be allocated for COVID-19 measures which most of which would be for economy recovery rather than health care.
This law, however, has the potential to the absence of government oversight in the regulation that might lead to the corruption. The article also shields officials responsible for fiscal and monetary policies from any legal charges behind the argument that they have acted in good faith. While openness and transparency are key ingredients to build accountability and trust which are necessary for the functioning of democracies, all civil society actors also need to greatly participate in overseeing government’s actions in the allocation of state budget for addressing the impacts of pandemic.
In Papua Province, The Papua People’s Assembly or Majelis Rakyat Papua -the representative of Papuan community- who oversees coordination, guidance, and supervision of the administration of the local government at regency or municipality levels in Papua, established a working group to get the report on the policy direction and assistance that have been received by the people in Papua.
Some areas that have been visited are Sarmi Regency, Keerom, and Jayapura District. This work visit aims at ensuring that both province and regency government are held accountable in their response toward the pandemic.
It is worth noting that civic engagement during COVID-19 can surely contribute to the extent to which mitigation efforts led by the government can effectively achieve its targets. While the unchecked government makes mitigation efforts efforts during pandemic less effective.
West Papua Province in Response to the Pandemic
Meanwhile in West Papua Province, Governor Dominggus Mandacan claimed that there will be no budget cuts in the special autonomy funds for handling the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the national budget allocated for the special autonomy funds for West Papua Province is 4,3 trillion rupiah.
In West Papua Province, the special autonomy funds will be transferred to the districts or cities in order to encourage the human development for the West Papuan, while some of the funds will be used for ensuring food supply in the villages.
West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan said that the province is now realocating their regional budget to be shifted for handling COVID-19. From that shifting, West Papua Province will spend 197 billion rupiah for addressing the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 in the community.
Besides, Governor Dominggus also delivered the aid for the small micro medium enterprises whose daily income are directly affected by COVID-19, and most of them are nut and fish merchants in West Papua Province. He further said, “West Papua Province is very concerned about the impacts of COVID-19 to small micro medium entreprises in West Papua, where most of their jobs are disrupted due to the pandemic. We hope that they also maintain a healthy lifestyle during pandemic time by practising physical distancing, using masks, and cleaning the hands regularly.”
Gotong royong or socio-cultural ethic of the togetherness philosophy that has been practising by all communities in Indonesia, including those living in Papua and West Papua Provinces, is the social capital that can surely strengthen the economic and social resilience of societies during pandemic.
For all regions in Indonesia, though, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo stated that neighboring units (RT), community units (RW), regional governments, and village leaders should be involved in tackling COVID-19 so that the whole related programs can run as planned. The implementation of the program should be done immediately and the mechanism for distributing the benefits to the people should also be done as efficiently as possible.
Solidarity and leadership of especially local formal and informal leaders are the two critical elements needed during pandemic. It is the solidarity which begins from collective solidraity to ensure that we focus on everyone, including the most vulnerable individuals; and leadership which begins from the shared responsibility to take bold steps and best decisions as well as to maintain an effective coordination during crisis. (*)
