Ribka Haluk denies plans to redefine Orang Asli Papua

Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Ribka Haluk, has clarified that there are no plans to redefine the term ‘Orang Asli Papua’ (OAP), labeling reports of such changes as hoaxes.

Haluk emphasized that the definition of OAP is already legally established under Article 1, letter t of Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for the Papua Province, which remains valid following the amendments in Law Number 2 of 2021. She urged the public, particularly in Papua, to disregard unverified information and contact the Ministry of Home Affairs for official explanations.

Yohanes Oci, Executive Director of the Center for Political and Government Studies of Indonesia (Puspolrindo), praised the Deputy Minister's rapid response. He noted that such swift communication is essential to prevent misunderstandings regarding OAP, an issue deeply tied to the social identity of the Papuan people.