The Government Knows the Problem but Life not Getting Better

What Papua reveals about development in Indonesia

Jun 18, 2026

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By: Johanes E.S. Wato

Ndambu festival of Kimaam (Kimaghima) people in Yos Sudarso Island of South Papua, Indonesia. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

In Indonesia, government officials frequently defend development policies by pointing to statistical achievements: rising investment, declining poverty rates, expanding infrastructure, and improving economic indi…

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