Dynamics Of Indigenous Community Representation: Perspectives On The Institutional Capacity Of The Papua People's Assembly

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the institutional capacity of the Papua People's Assembly (MRP) in the West Papua Province in protecting the rights of Indigenous Papuans (OAP) within the framework of Special Autonomy. By using a qualitative approach and a case study design, the research collects data through in-depth interviews, observations, and the study of official documents. The analysis is conducted using the institutional capacity building framework from Healey et al. (2003) that emphasizes the dimensions of knowledge resources, relational resources, and mobilization capacity.

The research results show that MRP has strong normative legitimacy as a cultural representation of OAP through elements of custom, religion, and women. However, the institutional capacity of MRP still faces limitations, including a lack of population data on OAP, limited formal authority that is only consultative in nature, and weak coordination with local governments. These conditions make the effectiveness of MRP more dominant in symbolic functions and moral advocacy rather than in direct influence on substantive policies. Nonetheless, MRP's openness to new ideas and efforts to build cross-institutional collaborative networks indicate a strategic opportunity to strengthen institutional capacity in the future. This study emphasizes that strengthening the institutional capacity of MRP is a key factor in ensuring the sustainability of the protection of OAP rights. This finding provides a theoretical contribution to the public administration literature regarding customary representation institutions, while also offering practical recommendations for local governments and stakeholders to optimize the role of MRP in the context of special autonomy in Papua.