Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry plans to establish a customary school at Malaumkarta Village, Makbon District, Sorong Regency, in West Papua. The statement was addressed by the Director of Almighty God Belief and Indigenous People, Sjamsul Hadi, on his speech in the EcoNusa Outlook 2022 on Thursday, 10 February 2022.
Sjamsul said the Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim, and he had paid a visit to Malaumkarta a year before. There they met Moi tribe community. As to him, they had some concerns. “Hopefully we could exist this year and next year with EcoNusa to promote a customary school and utilization of forests products in Malaumkarta compound,” he said.
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In the event, Sjamsul also expressed his appreciation to Sorong Regent Johny Kamuru who dared to revoke the palm oil company licenses that had never had optimum use and Johny’s commitment to return the areas to the indigenous community.
“We are from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology’s Directorate of Culture appreciated the Regent of Sorong who sides with culture, provides space to indigenous people, so his policy is on the indigenous people’s side,” said Sjamsul.
According to Sjamsul, the return of area required the local preparedness. Thus, the ultimate concern is on the capacity development of human resources so the community is ready to make use of the existing potentials on the cultural basis. “Through EcoNusa, we really appreciate the program and thus we can make it a synergy involving the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology and the other ministries,” he added.
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The appreciation also went to EcoNusa for performing some advocacies and building the indigenous people capacity in Tanah Papua and Maluku, while mobilizing young people . This, as to him, went along with the mandate of Law No. 5/2017 on Culture Development.
“I really appreciate EcoNusa in its fifth year had moved very far in natural conservation through protection, development, and utilization through initiatives related to young generation,” Sjamsul asserted.
Formerly, EcoNusa CEO Bustar Maitar in his presentation also addressed the establishment plan of a customary school in Sorong as that of the Ministry’s Directorate of Culture. Bustar also said that EcoNusa has serious concern with cultural issues.
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“We should think of the way to revive a customary school to restore cultural values. Culture is a crucial part of social transformation,” said Bustar.
EcoNusa launched #BeradatJagaHutan, #BeradatJagaLaut campaign. “Indonesia is a country with culture and custom, so the value of custom and culture is embraced and succeeded to (next generation) to manage the natural resource in sustainable way,” Bustar highlighted his message.
Editor: Leo Wahyudi
