1) Biak Numfor Keen to Host Sail Cenderawasih
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Attempting to develop the Biak Numfor district in Indonesia`s easternmost province of Papua into a leading international tourist destination, the local government is keen to host Sail Cenderawasih Bay as part of Sail Indonesia.
Sail Indonesia is an annual yacht rally that has run every year since 2000, and is supported by the Indonesian central government as well as the local government centers at the destinations the sail participants will visit as they cross the country.
It is a series of sailing and other events, supported by high profile tourist destinations to international yachtsmen and women with a view to expanding the tourism potential and introducing visitors to delightful natural and cultural features of the Indonesian archipelago that they might otherwise not visit.
The Sail Cenderawasih Bay, if implemented, would increase foreign tourist arrivals, Biak Numfor Culture and Tourism Office Head Yubelius Usior stated.
In addition, the foreign tourists coming to the district will have the opportunity to recognize the potential of natural and cultural resources of various districts in the Gulf of Cendrawasih.
The plan to host the international maritime event of Sail Cenderawasih needs assessment and understanding along with the tourism departments in Cenderawasih Bay which covers the districts of Biak Noemfoor, Supiori, Waropen, Yapen Islands, and Nabire, Usior stated.
The future plan about Sail Cenderawasih Bay has been discussed with the representatives of the Tourism Ministry at the opening of Biak Munara Wampasi (BMW) cultural festival at Numfor Island, according to him.
Various potentials of tourism, fisheries and culture in Cenderawasih Bay are very natural and have a special quirk that needs to be combined with the tourism flagship program, Usior admitted.
"The marine nature, culture and forests in Cenderawasih Bay have a lot of potential and need to be made a joint program to increase tourist visits to the region," he remarked.
Every year, Biak Numfor holds a BMW cultural festival to promote a variety of native indigenous cultural attractions and to bring foreign tourists to Padaido Island.
Held from July 1-4, 2016, the BMW cultural festival showcased Japanese traditional "katana" samurai swords from World War II (WW-II) vintage.
The festival was expected to help boost Padaido Islands tourism and the local economy, and will especially benefit traders and small and micro businesses.
The local authorities continue to develop marine tourism in Padaido and Aimando islands by improving various supporting facilities and infrastructure such as home-stay, roads, seaport, and streetlights, according to Usior.
The local government has made Padaido and Aimando Marine Park the center of marine tourism with activities featuring underwater diving around the islands, Usior remarked.
The cluster of Saerrei Bay in Padaido Island stores various types of underwater natural beauty, CEO of WWF Indonesia Benja Mambai admitted separately.
"Due to its underwater beauty, Padaido Island is eligible to be developed into a tourist attraction in the district of Biak Numfor," Mambai said.
In addition to the potential for tourism, Padaido Island region has become a center of research and surveys, nature conservation education, and cultural development of Biak Numfor, he noted.
Further, the Biak Numfor Culture and Tourism Office was determined to develop marine tourism at the Padaido Island to make the district an international tourist destination in eastern Indonesia.
Comprising 30 small islands, Padaido is a small archipelago with its unique attractions that can be developed to make it a leading tourist destination in West Papua.
The cluster of Padaido Islands has alluring beaches and offers varied habitats, such as atolls, reef edges, and underwater caves.
Therefore, the islands need to be developed to boost the local economy by involving the local people, investors, and environmental observers.
Padaido is derived from the local language, which means "inexpressible beauty", and in the past, it was named Schouter after William Schouter, a Dutch sailor who first discovered the islands in 1602.
It takes just an hour from the Bosnik port to reach Padaido using a motor boat, and about 3 to 4 hours using a canoe paddle to the islands, which offer an array of attractions, underwater caves, and tunnels.
The beaches on those islands have cotton-white sand and clear waters allowing the sunlight to reach the seabed, thereby enabling the visitors to enjoy the marine life from the mainland.
Besides having the greatest biodiversity of coral ecosystems in the world, other things that the divers should not miss are challenging underwater caves to be explored, the wrecks of sunken ships, aircraft, and tanks.
Padaido is one of those places blessed with the greatest biodiversity of coral ecosystems in the world, according to a study conducted by Biodiversity Conservation Network (BCN).
The waters of Padaido have 95 coral species and 155 species of fish, such as various types of reef sharks and octopuses and numerous other maritime riches.
The Padaido Island has a reef area spanning about 9,252 acres and 328.2 acres of deep reefs.
Some international divers believe the Padaido beach area has the most spectacular coral reefs in the world, and therefore, this marine park is perfect for diving and snorkeling.
The Biak Numfor district government in Papua aims to promote regional development and empower the local communities who live in primitive conditions.
ANTARA
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http://www.afr.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/letters-tax-solutions-and-west-papua-20160902-gr7dix
Letter in Financial review
2) End the silence on West Papua oppression
I have just returned from a visit to Indonesian-occupied West Papua. Nothing had prepared me for seeing how the West Papuan people are treated in their own land and the overwhelmingly oppressive atmosphere of violence and terror they face every day.
Corruption and intimidation have characterised Indonesian rule in West Papua since 1963, when the United Nations, to its shame, handed over the former Dutch colony to a "transitional administrative Indonesian authority".
Indonesia was allowed to terrorise the people into compliance in a sham referendum in 1969 and has continued to oppress West Papua – one of Australia's closest neighbours – ever since. Indonesia has repeatedly "warned" Australia to hold its tongue on the crimes against humanity being committed in West Papua. The only honourable response that our government – and we as individuals – can make to Indonesia's occupation of and oppression of West Papua is to protest and to do everything in our power to ensure that West Papuans be given an opportunity to have a safe and democratic vote on autonomy. We must not be bystanders, we must demand that the United Nations and our own government do everything in their power to halt the oppression.
West Papuans are a proud and independent minded people. They are forced to live under political, religious and economic oppression, as second class citizens in their own land. They deserve all the help and support that we can give them.
Bill Anderson
Surrey Hills, Vic
3) LGBT Community in Papua Keep Growing Every Year
2 September 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – Chairman of the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association Jayapura Municipality, Agus Fauzi, said the number of LGBT in Papua is continuously growing each year.
“I will not say the total, as well as the venue where they often hang out together, but the number is growing from year to year as the result of the same sex interaction,” he said at his office in Jayapura on Thursday (1/9/2016).
LGBT, said Agus, apparently started from the interaction between the young people of the productive age. Further, LGBT in Papua already formed a community to accommodate them.
According to him, IPPA already provide socialization to the LGBT community and hope they do not adversely affect the others or transfer their LGBT character to others. “We must do an extra work to disseminate the information to the public that started from 12 years old, the first age of puberty, children must get the education on reproduction health to avoid them to become the LGBT,” said Agus who’s also the Department Head of Special Area of BKKBN (Family Planning Agency) Papua.
In addition to the same sex relationship, according to Agus, the life style is also affecting the LGBT growth. He took an example, if someone had friendship with a perfume seller, he would smell fragrant. If he got a blacksmith friend, he would smell of charcoal.
He said the only way to overcome the LGBT is to provide enforcement and education to the children from an early age and when they grow to be teenagers. “Because of hormonal factor and often hang out with the LGBT, they must become one of them as well. This could be healed; the important is the family’s support. But if you still relate with those persons, you won’t be healed,” he said.
One of LGBT in Abepura who refuse to be named said he was attracted to the men since he was 14 years old. “I don’t know why, but that’s what I feel. Since in the elementary and junior high school, I always get along with the girls. Perhaps this is the reason why I become like this, but I hope I could be just normal like the others,” he said. (*/rom)
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4) 400 Housewives Get Cervical Cancer Checks
1 September 2016
Jayapura, Jubi – The Familiy Planning Coordinating Agency in Papua Region has launched a campaign on the importance for housewives to have cervical cancer checks.
The campaign has been conducted in several regencies targeting about 250 housewives.
Up to now, BKKBN has treated 400 housewives, said the Head of BKKBN Papua Region Charles Brabar to reporter on Wednesday (31/8/2016) during the socialization and IVA/IUD integrated Pap smear service at the yard of BKKN Papua Region Office.
“This is the fifth time we conduct the activity. It was conducted in Keerom, Biak Numfor, Merauke, Jayapura and Jayapura Municipality. Our initial target was 250 women, but we managed to examine 400 women, which is exceeding our set-up target,” he said.
More and more women, at least the housewives, knew about the risk of cervical cancer, then they must aware to maintain the hygiene of their reproductive organ.
“Many deaths caused by HIV/AIDS were occurred among the housewives. So through this socialization, we expected the housewives could spare their time to do the medical check-up or early detection of cervical cancer,” he said.
“Many people are already aware about the importance of the cervical cancer prevention. The cancer must be taken from the cervix. Do not feel embarrassed to check the health of uterus,” said Charles Brabar.
A participant Mrs. Siti said she was very helpful with this socialization in which delivered the specialist, because through the socialization she could learn more about the cervical cancer.
“This is very positive action, I am glad. I asked a lot of questions related to my symptoms. Actually I have consulted this to the doctor, but at least through the socialization I could understand more,” she said.
Though the socialization, she currently knew that the virus of cervical cancer was not entirely from the women, but also could be part of the men. “I don’t know with other people’s marriage. But with the material I got from the socialization, I can discuss it with my husband at home,” she said. (*/rom)
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