Constitutional Justice Wahiduddin Adams with head of Wasur Village Dominggus Bakap symbolically eating sago sep dish at Wasur Constitution Village Cultural Festival in Merauke, Saturday (7/8/2023). Photo by MKRI/Ifa.

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WASUR, MKRI — The Constitutional Court (MK) held a cultural festival in Wasur Constitution Village, Merauke, Saturday morning, July 8, 2023. The event was a series of the Wasur Constitution Village Cultural Festival 2023, which was held in collaboration between the Court and Musamus University.

In his speech, Constitutional Justice Wahiduddin Adams said that the Court appreciated Wasur Village’s designation as a constitution village was praised by the Court. He stated that not many constitution villages had been selected. The Court then handed over a smart board, which Justice Wahiduddin claimed would allow the Wasur Village people a quick access to the Constitutional Court.

“[This event] is a series of activities that have been carried for two days. … the Cout handed over a device that is expected to be beneficial to the community as users,” he said.

He expected that this technological device would be used as fully and optimally as possible in order to serve its objective. “We invite and request that the managers provide as much access as possible to the community members who will use it. If possible, the community can be educated on how to use and maintain it. As a result, it is a common asset that is a shared responsibility,” he said.

He said the device symbolized interconnectivity between the Court and the community of Merauke. “Even though distance separates us, this device will always maintain our communication,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his opening remarks, South Papua acting governor Apolo Safanpo said that Wasur Village should be grateful because only five villages in Indonesia are classified as constitution villages.

“We have a responsibility to assist the Constitutional Court in upholding the Constitution. The 1945 Constitution is our legal framework. Our country, as we all know, was developed, established, and bound by the Constitution. As a result, the state is based on the Constitution rather than laws. Laws exclusively regulate particular subjects, for example the Forestry Law solely regulates forestry and not anything else. The state is formed by the Constitution, and the Constitution is supported by the state. As a result, as a constitution village, we have a moral obligation to protect our Constitution, the 1945 Constitution,” he said.

Meanwhile, Salke Gebze, chief of Wasur customary people’s organization, said that his organization always supported government programs that aim to conserve Wasur culture, whether from Merauke Regency, the Constitutional Court, or other parties. “We hope that the government and other parties will continue to pay attention to culture and language that we have worked hard to protect,” he said.

Beatus Tambaip, rector of Musamus University, was also present and stated that this action was the Court’s commitment to introduce Wasur Village as a Pancasila and constitution village ten years ago. He was pleased to see the Court continuing the commitment.

“We welcome the Court’s commitment and we continue the constitution village that has been launched. It means that there is a burden that should be carried out, be meaningful, and have characteristics. As the people of Merauke, we know that Wasur Village is one of villages in the Wasur National Park area,” he said.

The Wasur Constitution Village Cultural Festival 2023 has been taking place in Merauke Regency from Thursday to Sunday, July 6-9, 2023. It consists of an FGD, a national seminar, SMEs and constitution exhibition; constitutional awareness competitions for elementary, junior, and senior high school students; and Wasur cultural exhibition. Unmus is a university that was originally established under the name of the Merauke College of Technology (STTM) and in 2010 officially became a public university.

Author       : Utami Argawati
Editor        : Lulu Anjarsari P.
Translator  : Nyi Mas Laras Nur Inten Kemalasari/Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian versions, the Indonesian version will prevail.

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