TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Thousands of students in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Highlands Province, staged a protest against the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program on Monday, February 17. The demonstration was attended by junior high school (SMP), senior high school (SMA), and university students.

It is estimated that around 3,500 students participated in the protest. According to police reports, they came from Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency, and Yahukimo Regency.

“We facilitated a meeting to avoid chaos and unforeseen incidents,” said Police Commissioner Suparmanto, Head of Operations for the Jayawijaya Police, in a phone interview with Tempo on Monday, February 17.

Asken Yohans, a student who joined the protest, stated that he and thousands of other students in Wamena and Papua, in general, need access to free education and proper school facilities.

“We don’t want free nutritious meals; what we want is easy access to education and healthcare, that’s all,” Yohans told Tempo over the phone.

Asken explained that the Free Nutritious Meals policy would not help him and his peers focus on their studies. “The issue of basic education remains unresolved in Papua Highlands. Healthcare facilities are also still very limited,” he said.

While he acknowledged that the state of education and healthcare in Wamena is relatively adequate, he emphasized that Papua Highlands is not limited to just Wamena.

“Our friends who live far from Wamena, in remote districts, can’t go to school. They have schools, but they are in poor condition. Teachers are often absent. We want free education and healthcare, not free nutritious meals,” he said.

National Nutrition Agency's Response

The head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, declined to comment on the rejection of the free nutritious meals program in Papua. He stated that the objection is related to other issues in the region.

“This is no longer an issue about the Free Nutritious Meals program, but about something else,” Dadan said when met at the Ministry of Village Development in Jakarta on Monday, February 17.

Regarding the rejection of Free Nutritious Meals in Papua, Dadan asked not to be questioned about it. He stated that this matter should be addressed by the Indonesian National Army (TNI) or the police. “The ones who should explain this are the Indonesian National Army, the police, or the national intelligence agency,” he said.

Nandito Putra, Dian Rahma Fika, and M. Raihan Muzzaki contributed to the writing of this article.

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