Author(s): Te Kipa Kepa Brian Morgan; Elisabeth Veronika Wambrauw
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Water resource; Agats; Sustainability; Mauri (a key sustainability indicator)
Abstract: Agats Township, population 15,000, is the capital of the Asmat Regency in southern Papua, Indonesia. The tidal range normally inundates the urban area, and fresh water supply is a problem for residential occupancy. Climate change has exacerbated this problem with an increasing extent of inundation and sediment deposition. A solution implemented to address the water supply requirements for Agats has introduced inequalities for the regional community. Issues beyond equitable access to the water supply such as cultural transgressions raise further questions regarding sustainability. Earlier work has shown that significant aspects of Asmat Culture (Agats Indigenous community) resonate with those of Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand. These findings indicated that it is feasible to transfer an evaluation tool which was created specifically for the New Zealand context to Asmat. The Mauri Model Decision Making Framework is a unique sustainability assessment tool that enhances understanding of complex problems. The framework is unique because it adopts mauri (life supporting capacity) as the basis for measurement, and allows the inclusion of both quantitative and qualitative data in the analysis. The objective of this research is to evaluate the Agats Water Supply solution to determine the sustainability of the local government project supplying potable water to Agats Township. The analysis reveals the high level of complexity posed by this problem. It shows that the project is not sustainable from the Asmat People’s perspective, but could be considered sustainable by the local government. The analysis shows that the predominant benefits are for social and economic well-being, while environmental and cultural well-being are diminished. The differences in worldview values and therefore the perception of an infrastructure project’s sustainability stem from the different values of the stakeholders effected. The findings demonstrate the international applicability of the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework in other cultural contexts.
Year: 2014