The Spirit of Maybrat Development

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS WISNU WARDHANA DANY

Melkianus Duwit

His footsteps are confident. His muscular arms belie his age of 77. He is Melkianus Duwit, who has for three decades directed residents’ development of Segior village in Ayamaru Jaya district, Maybrat regency, West Papua.

One morning, Melkianus Duwit, or “Bapa Meky” as he is commonly called, wore shorts and a collared T-shirt with a noken (woven bag) across his shoulder. He had just returned from a neighboring village.

Onesimus Semunya, 40, a resident of Ayamaru district, 11 kilometers from Segior village, was waiting for him, sitting on a wooden bench on the side porch of Bapa Meky’s house. “Good morning, Bapa. I’ve come from a distant place to give a brief account,” said Onesimus on Thursday (14/7/2022).

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People who need advice or suggestions concerning issues in Maybrat usually visit Bapa Meky. He is one of the most respected public figures.

“So, Maybrat is in good condition. It’s quite well. Some say Maybrat isn’t well enough, it’s actually fine,” said Bapa Meky.

Village expansion

The father of 17 studied up to the third grade of elementary school. However, by the time he was 30 years old in 1975, he had been appointed as the head of social welfare for Sosian village and Tamel village in Ayamaru district.

Yet it was not easy to realize, due to a tug-of-war of differing interests.

“I used to become emotional to see that people were aware only that they had a village,” said Bapa Meky, shaking his head. His annoyance prompted him to propose the establishment of Segior village for equitable development. Yet it was not easy to realize, due to a tug-of-war of differing interests.

Bapa Meky had sent a proposal on the formation of Segior village to the Ayamaru district head at the time. But the letter received no response from the district head.

Only in 1990 was the proposal to establish Segior village approved by the provincial administration of what was then named Irian Jaya. The province later divided into the provinces of Papua and West Papua.

The founding of Segior village brought a fresh air of equitable development to other villages. Subsequently, the villages of Orsu, Woman, Rawas, Adoh and Soan were set up in Ayamaru district, which has now become Ayamaru Jaya district.

“With the expansion there are seven villages in total. This is mean to ensure development equity,” said the man who grows sweet potatoes and vegetables.

“Work of God”

Bapa Meky had noticed for a long time that the people of Maybrat were competing to execute the “work of God”. This work involved building villages, brick houses, churches, and village polyclinics, as well as demanding that that the government open district schools and promote the people’s economy.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS WISNU WARDHANA DANY

Melkianus Duwit

Still, the “work of God” was tarnished by attacks from armed criminal groups that caused the death of security personnel, the evacuation of hundreds of residents from 18 villages and a delay in infrastructure development from September 2021 to January 2022.

In fact, noted Bapa Meky, the people of Maybrat had nurtured a spirit of village development for a long time. For example, they had to pass through the forests on their way to and from South Sorong regency to buy construction materials.

At the time, Maybrat was still part of South Sorong and the Trans-West Papua Highway had not been built. Maybrat gained its regency status in 2009. Meanwhile, the Trans-West Papua Highway was completed over several stages from 2018.

“We had to walk for one to two weeks while also carrying cement [sacks], iron. Maybrat people deeply love the ‘work of God’,” Bapa Meky revealed.

The heavy sweat of Bapa Meky and other residents was not in vain. They built elementary schools, village polyclinics and churches in Segior village.

He also donated his old house as a community hall where the villagers could meet. The building was renovated with paint and new ceilings.

Bapa Meky also urged the district head and the regent to open or improve the village’s access roads to national roads. Residents called it a “shortcut”, as part of it was not yet asphalted.

The shortcut is important to open residents’ access. Residents used to walk tens of kilometers through forests and bushland to reach the national roads.

This way, road users would be attracted to the fresh agricultural produce.

Now that the shortcut was ready to use, Bapa Meky invited the Segior villagers to sell sweet potatoes, vegetables and fish caught from Lake Ayamaru on the side of the Ayamaru-Kumurkek Axis Road, a section of the Trans-West Papua Highway. This way, road users would be attracted to the fresh agricultural produce.

“This is our struggle. It’s not like those who come only when legislative elections, regent elections [are held], thinking only of electoral victories,” said Bapa Meky

Economic empowerment

The shortcut’s existence does not mean that development is over. Market access is still limited because the villagers still face restrictive transportation costs in delivering their farm products to the city of Sorong, 174 km away.

They need at least Rp 100,000 to travel one way by a state-owned Damri bus with a capacity of 15 seats. Bapa Meky keeps asking the district head to increase the number of Damri buses so that more sellers can transport their goods.

On the other hand, he is also encouraging freshwater fish aquaculture in Lake Ayamaru. So far, there is only one fish pond due to a lack of training and funding for the villagers.

Bapa Meky has strived for this effort ever since he took part in a comparative study in Yogyakarta some years ago. He met with local aquaculture entrepreneurs and talked about training, funding and pond management.

“I was surprised to find that they received considerable assistance. A proposal here is only permitted Rp 5 million [in funding]. Support is lacking. The people are actually diligent, ready to learn and able to [put the training] into direct practice,” he said.

Bapa Meky is also seeking an alcohol ban. It’s because the local youths are consuming it until they get drunk. “When we warn them, they become furious. They question the basis of the warning and chase out the village heads. Strong drinks spoil Maybrat,” said Bapa Meky.

FRANSISKUS WISNU WARDHANA DANY

Melkianus Duwit

Bapa Meky, along with the village heads and the district head, is continuing to urge the Maybrat regency administration to issue a regional regulation banning the independent sale of liquor. This rule is aimed to control alcohol consumption among youths so they will stop getting drunk.

“As I’ve said, we used to walk tens of kilometers to build the village. Now, all young people should have a greater spirit,” he added, smiling.

Melkianus Duwit

Born: Segior village, 18 May 1945

Education: Elementary school

Profession:Segior village head and farmer

Children: Seventeen

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira).