Marked by the highest levels of poverty in the country but a tremendous natural resource base of mineral and forest resources as well as remarkably preserved and flourishing marine environments, the island is also troubled by endemic political unrest surrounding the desire for political autonomy on the part of large numbers of indigenous Papuans who feel systematically mis-treated by the Indonesian state. Calls for independence of Papua are not uncommon while many feel that lack of effective economic, political, and social development is the real core set of grievances. Our assessment is ongoing and we are not likely to be able to definitively pronounce on that question. Notwithstanding, the island itself is impressive with a sense of openness and somewhat of a frontier feeling very different from the crowded and restrained nature of life on Java.
Grilled fish was my favorite dinner, but we also had a great bowl of sago palm soup. The sago pulp is beaten till smooth and gluttonous and resembles any of a dozen pounded millet, rice, yam, or banana staples that I've enjoyed in Africa.
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