IPAC Report: Numbers Matter: The 2020 Census and Conflict in Papua

Oct 29

[Jakarta, 29 October 2019] Inflated population statistics in Papua are a source of corruption, conflict and power struggles, but unlike many of Papua’s troubles, this one has a possible fix: a major effort by the new Jokowi government to ensure that the 2020 census produces an accurate head count.

“Numbers Matter: The 2020 Census and Conflict in Papua,” the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC), analyses the consequences of falsified data. The inflated statistics do not just fuel corruption but also have security implications. The problem is most acute in the central highlands where the pro-independence movement is strongest and many local politicians are sympathetic.

Papuan elites, especially in the highlands, have deliberately inflated numbers to gain money and power. More people on paper can mean bigger budgetary allocations; more seats in local legislatures; and a stronger political base. “The actual population of the Papuan central highlands may be less than half of what 2019 voter rolls suggest, but no one is checking,” says Deka Anwar, IPAC analyst.

To keep reading, click here or download the report as a PDF below.

PDF: Numbers Matter: The 2020 Census and Conflict in Papua