IRC to Assess Conditions in Volatile Indonesian Province

A team from the Consortium for Assistance and Recovery toward Development in Indonesia (CARDI), of which the International Rescue Committee is a member, will travel to the province of Papua later this month for a comprehensive two-week field assessment. The team will survey the needs of the population in Indonesia’s most remote province. “Papuans are among the poorest in the country despite living in a province rich in copper, gold, and natural gas,” said Giorgia Garofalo, who is leading the assessment. “Over 40 percent of Papuans live on less than $1 per day.”

The team includes specialists in public health, economic development, education and community development. Two members of CARDI’s national staff will facilitate the team’s passage through the politically volatile and physically treacherous region.

The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has waged an armed opposition to Indonesian rule in Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya, since the 1960s. Many people have been displaced and a number of communities in the interior highlands have been closed to aid organizations because of military operations. Many communities are only reachable by foot or boat, particularly during the rainy season. The situation has been exacerbated by tensions within the Papuan community.

“The challenge of Papua should not be underestimated,” explained Bryan Cox, the CARDI country director. “High poverty, overstretched government resources, a variable security situation, the potential for conflict and displacement, high operational costs, and an extremely diverse population make Papua both challenging and necessary for CARDI.”

Jayapura, where the team will touch down, is more than 3,000 miles (5,000 kilometers) away from CARDI’s most western office in Banda Aceh.