The Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs reviewed preparations for the 2024 regional head elections in Papua Pegunungan Province, West Papua, Indonesia. This review is mainly in terms of funding to mitigate the vulnerability of conflict.

Acting Director General of Politics and General Government of the Ministry of Home Affairs Togap Simangunsong said that Papua Pegunungan Province is one of the new autonomous regions in West Papua that needs more attention.

“Especially in terms of the realization of funding support or grants, the readiness of election organizers in the region, and other matters related to the vulnerability of the Simultaneous Regional Elections. Considering that the Regional Elections will take place in approximately four months,” said Togap.

Papua Pegunungan Province is a province resulting from the expansion of Papua Province in 2022. There are two other provinces that are new autonomous regions, namely Central Papua and South Papua.

In addition to joint preparations with the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs, the Papua Pegunungan Provincial Government also held a signing of the 2024 Peaceful Regional Election Declaration.

Acting Governor of Papua Pegunungan Velix V. Wanggai said the purpose of signing the 2024 Peaceful Regional Election Declaration was to realize the 2024 Regional Election in Papua Pegunungan Province to run smoothly, safely, peacefully, and without conflict.

The declaration was signed by Velix V. Wanggai, Togap Simangunsong, and representatives of the Indonesian General Election Commission and the Indonesian Election Supervisory Body of Papua Pegunungan Province.

“We need to immediately identify the possibility of conflict, both before the implementation of the Regional Election, the voting period, the vote counting period and after the voting based on the experience of the Election held last February,” he said.

According to him, there needs to be collaboration between agencies so that the implementation of the Regional Election runs smoothly.