Strengthening National Identity Through Affirmative Action

This research examines the objectives, problems, and impacts of Indonesia’s affirmative action special recruitment program for Indigenous Papuan police officers. The program, based on affirmative action and designed to address the community’s distrust of the police, has several problems. These include obstacles to education, cultural incompatibility, and problems that arise after recruitment, such as inadequate training and supervision. Based on government reports, book reviews, and policy briefs, the study finds that expanding the ranks of indigenous officers in Papua can benefit the economy and public safety, provided it is done carefully. However, inclusion must be superior to quotas. To truly enhance police- Papua relations, more meaningful structural changes and ongoing investment in training, mentoring, and outreach are necessary. Ultimately, this paper finds that employing indigenous Papuan officers would be best complemented by attempts to rebuild trust, enhance institution capacity, and preserve justice—symbolically and in practice.