MERAUKE – Australia Indonesia Partnership for Decentralisation (AIPD) hold-up activities to the formation of coalitions (network) Civil Society Organization (CSO) activists for 22 people in Merauke. Activities facilitated by PATTIRO (Center for Regional Information and Studies) was held in the meeting room Bappeda Merauke, Friday (7/12) yesterday.

Facilitator BK CSO, Bastian Hendro Wibowo, said the coalition formation allows the CSO to be involved in the planning, budgeting and monitoring the use of public funds. Involvement of it in order to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of regional autonomy for the improvement of public services and the development of Merauke district government.

“CSOs need to be strengthened in terms of budget allocation in order to guard public service and service to satisfy it from time to time increase. They can not walk alone, the CSO that there was need in the wake of the coalition or networking. One thing that the work was escorted by the crowd, it will be a lot of things are controlled and coordinated, “he said.

It is said Hendro, capacity and knowledge of CSO participation in the planning, budgeting and monitoring the use of public funds needs to be improved and technically assisted. Need for CSO provision pngetahuan source for understanding the regional income, shopping areas and local finance mechanisms.

“There is a paradigm shift, first as a separate between government and CSOs tend to be in opposition, but what is done is the same for the benefit of society. Now the government and CSOs need to build synergistic coordination in improving public services. Synergism not mean CSO co-opted by the government, but there is a spirit of checks and balances or control joint effort and strength, “he said.

He added, mapping and strengthening of CSOs in the district focused on capacity building and mentoring. CSO networks in the district is representative of the community on planning, budgeting and monitoring of development in the area. The establishment of a coalition of CSOs to advocate, especially budget advocacy as a social movement of people.

“Local CSOs are encouraged to focus on issues in key sectors of development so as to increase its role and become partners of local government and parliament. Networking is done through advocacy coalitions in order to engage in any development planning, “he said.