Indonesia: Country Technical Note on Indigenous Peoples

Country Technical Note
on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues
Republic of
Indonesia
Country Technical Notes on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues
REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
Submitted by:
Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara
(Indigenous People Alliance of the Archipelago- AMAN)
Last update:
November 2012
Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily
represent those of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not
imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IFAD concerning the legal
status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the
delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The designations „developed‟ and „developing‟
countries are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a
judgement about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development
process.
All rights reserved
Table of Contents
Country Technical Note on Indigenous Peoples‟ Issues – Republic of Indonesia.............. 1
Summary ............................................................................................................. 1
1. Main characteristics of indigenous peoples ............................................................ 2
2. Situation of indigenous peoples in Indonesia ......................................................... 6
3. National legislation on indigenous peoples .......................................................... 11
4. International treaties, declarations and conventions ratified by Indonesia ............... 13
5. Regional, national and grass-roots organizations/networks in Indonesia ................. 14
6. Information on IFAD‟s work with indigenous peoples ............................................ 16
7. International organizations working with indigenous peoples ................................. 23
8. Good practices of UN and international organizations ........................................... 25
9. Other information relevant for indigenous peoples‟ development ............................ 27
10. Bibliography and relevant links ....................................................................... 29
List of tables
Table 1: Percentage of poor peoples by province ...................................................... 8
Table 2: Poverty level and number of the poor, 2000-2008 ......................................... 9
List of figures
Figure 1: Distribution of AMAN's membership ............................................................ 3
Acronyms and abbreviation
ADB
AIPP
AMAN
BPMD
BPN
CCIP
CDPD
COSOP
CSOs
DepSos
Dit.PKAT
DPR
DtE
FWI
GEF-SGP
HDI
HuMA
IDA
IFAD
IFC
ILO
JKPP
KPA
LIPI
MOA
NAD
NGO
NSC
PHKA
PIPE
PMD
PNPM
REDD
RESPEK
UNDP
UNDP RIPP
UNDRIP
UNESCO
WALHI
WB
Asian Development Bank
Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact
Indigenous People Alliance of the Archipelago
Local-level Village Community Empowerment Agency
National Land Agency of Indonesia
Conservation International Indonesia Programme
Community-Driven Participatory Development
Country Strategic Opportunities Programme
Civil Society Organizations
Department of Social Welfare
Directorate for the Empowerment of Isolated Indigenous Communities
Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat
Down to Earth
Forest Watch Indonesia
Global Environmental Facility – Small Grants Programme
Human Development Index(es)
Association for Community and Ecologically-based Legal Reform
International Development Association
International Fund for Agricultural Development
International Finance Corporation
International Labour Organisation
Jaringan Kerja Pemetaan Partisipatif
Nature-lover Groups
Indonesian Institute of Sciences
Ministry of Agriculture
Nangroe Aceh Darussalam
Non- Governmental Organisation
National Steering Committee
Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation
Papua Indigenous Peoples‟ Empowerment Programme
Programme Management Department
National Community Empowerment Programme
Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
Strategic Plan for Village Development
United Nations Development Programme
UNDP Regional Indigenous Peoples‟ Programme
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations
Friend of the Earth of Indonesia
World Bank
Country Technical Note on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues – Republic of Indonesia
Summary
To facilitate policy implementation at the country level, IFAD‟s Policy on Engagement with
Indigenous Peoples (2009) recommended that Country Technical Notes be prepared to
provide country-specific information on indigenous peoples, as well as to contribute to
the development of country programme strategies and project design. A number of them
have been prepared by indigenous peoples‟ leaders with the support of indigenous
peoples‟ organizations. The Notes are intended as “living documents” to support learning
on indigenous peoples‟ issues.
Indonesia is comprised of 13,000 islands with a total area of 7 million km 2. It has a total
population of 230 million in more than 1,000 various ethnic and sub-ethnic groups with
their own cultures and traditions. According to Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara
(AMAN, or Indigenous People Alliance of the Archipelago), some 50–70 million people in
Indonesia can be classified as indigenous. Indigenous peoples in Indonesia live in almost
all the provinces in varying numbers.
Indonesian laws use various terms to refer to indigenous peoples, such as masyarakat
suku terasing (alien tribal communities), masyarakat tertinggal (neglected communities),
masyarakat terpencil (remote communities), masyarakat hukum adat (customary law
communities) and, more simply, masyarakat adat (communities governed by custom).
Indigenous peoples live in forests, mountains and coasts. Some are nomadic and some
are sedentary, and they are engaged in gathering, rotational swidden farming,
agroforestry, fishing, small-scale plantations and mining for their subsistence needs.
They traditionally live on their ancestral land and water. They depend on nature, as they
believe the earth is a common property that has to be protected for its sustainability.
They have their own knowledge about how to manage nature.
Indigenous peoples in Indonesia mostly live in rural environments that are rich in natural
resources. However, many of them suffer from impoverishment because of the transfer
of land and natural resource ownership, which has resulted in the loss of their livelihoods.
Three provinces with the richest natural resources – NAD, Papua and West Papua – were
found to have the worst poverty level, and most of the population in those three
provinces are indigenous peoples. The causes of poverty for indigenous peoples have
been identified as: the lack of recognition and protection of their rights to their land and
natural resources; development activities, mainly logging, mining and plantations;
degradation of the natural environment; poor quality of land; lack of education; limited
access to information; and problems of transport.
In general, Indonesian law is disadvantageous to indigenous peoples. However, a few
clauses of certain pieces of legislation give some recognition to indigenous sovereignty
over their lands and rights. The Department of Social Welfare is the only entity in
Indonesia‟s Government that devotes resources specifically to indigenous peoples as a
vulnerable group. Indigenous peoples‟ rights are also recognized in international
conventions signed by the Indonesian Government. By December 1994, Indonesia had
ratified nine conventions of concern to indigenous peoples.
Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) is a regional network that aims to strengthen the
cooperation and solidarity among indigenous peoples across Asia. AMAN represents
indigenous peoples from throughout the Republic of Indonesia. NGOs working in support
of indigenous peoples include: Jaringan Kerja Pemetaan Partisipatif (JKPP), Perkumpulan
Telapak, Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI)/Friend of the Earth of Indonesia,
Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI), Sawit Watch and HuMA (Association for Community and
Ecologically-based Legal Reform).
1
IFAD supports the Indonesian Government in its objective of reducing poverty to
empower poor rural women and men in order to enhance their food security, increase
their incomes and reduce poverty. IFAD financed the “Rural Empowerment and
Agricultural Development Programme in Central Sulawesi”, with the goal of tackling
poverty in marginal communities through increased incomes and improved livelihood
conditions from sustained growth of rural economic activity. IFAD also supported the
“National Programme of Community Empowerment in Rural Areas Project”. The latest
IFAD project benefitting indigenous peoples in Indonesia is the “Smallholder Livelihood
Development Project in Eastern Indonesia”, which was approved in 2011. One
microproject entitled “Mapping and Spatial Planning the Management Area of Tana Ai
Traditional Community” was approved through the IFAD Indigenous Peoples Assistance
Facility(IPAF). The overall objective of the project was to support Tana Ai people to take
control over the management of the forest area and obtain recognition of their land
rights.
1. Main characteristics of indigenous peoples
Based on the data issued by the Central Statistical Agency, the total population of
Indonesia as of 2008 was 230 million, with an average population growth of 1.33 per
cent. This makes Indonesia the world‟s fourth most populous country after China, India
and the United States of America. Indonesia is also the largest archipelago country,
containing 13,000 islands with a total area of 7 million km2. The total land area of the
islands is 1.9 million km2.
Within the territory, stretching from the tip of Sumatera Island to the western half of
New Guinea Island, live various ethnic and sub-ethnic groups with their own cultures and
traditions. It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 ethnic, sub-ethnic or
indigenous peoples in Indonesia. The diversity of ethnic groups and cultures makes
Indonesia one of the world‟s multi-ethnic countries. However, no data have been
published yet on the exact number of ethnic groups. One of the reasons such data are
unavailable is that the disaggregation of data for indigenous peoples has not yet been
done because there are no specific questions on indigenous ethnic identity in the national
census survey questionnaires.
The Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago, or AMAN – an organization of
indigenous peoples across Indonesia - estimates that some 50–70 million people in
Indonesia can be classified as indigenous. Other sources have estimated the number to
be as high as 120 million.1 Indigenous peoples in Indonesia live in almost all the
provinces in various groups and numbers, although Indonesia‟s vast area makes it
difficult to determine their exact numbers.
AMAN is comprised of 1,163 indigenous communities spread throughout Indonesia. The
organization does not have the figures for the population of its member communities,
although calculating them is one of AMAN‟s priorities. See the distribution of AMAN‟s
members in Figure 1.
1
O. Lynch, Whither the People? World Resources Institute, Washington DC, 1991; C. Zerner, Indigenous
Forest-Dwelling Communities in Indonesia’s Outer Islands: Livelihoods, Rights and Environmental Management
Institutions in the Era of Industrial Forest Exploitation, Paper for the World Bank Forest Sector Review, World
Bank, Washington DC, 1992; World Agroforestry Centre, 2005, Facilitating Agroforestry Development through
Land and Tree Tenure Reforms in Indonesia, ICRAF SE Asia Working Paper No 2, Bogor, 2005.
2
Figure 1: Distribution of AMAN's membership
Who are indigenous peoples in Indonesia?
Indonesian laws use various terms to refer to the peoples who self-identify as
indigenous, such as masyarakat suku terasing (alien tribal communities), masyarakat
tertinggal (neglected communities), masyarakat terpencil (remote communities),
masyarakat hukum adat (customary law communities) and, more simply, masyarakat
adat (communities governed by custom). AMAN uses masyarakat adat as equivalent to
indigenous people.
AMAN defines masyarakat adat as a
group of people from the same
ancestral lineages who inhabit a
certain geographical area and have a
distinctive set of ideological, economic,
political, cultural and social systems
and values, as well as a territory.
This means that a given community
group is called indigenous peoples if
they: (i) survive under their own
system, which is formed from
continuous interaction within the
group; and (ii) possess their own
territory on which their value systems are applied and still practiced. The definition is not
meant to be an in-depth, detailed anthropological and sociological argument, but rather
to enable indigenous activists inside AMAN to distinguish between indigenous peoples
and local community groups and between indigenous peoples and other community
groups.
The term masyarakat adat was chosen because it is neutral and implies no negative
connotations. Also, it is less distinctive than other terms, such as “isolated communities”
and “traditional communities” which easily can be contrasted with “open communities”
3
and “modern communities”, or the terms pribumi (native) and “tribal”, which easily can
be contrasted with “non-native” and “non-tribal”. The contrast can pose questions which
obscure the real meaning of the terms “isolated”, “traditional” and “modern”, for
example. The term masyarakat adat also avoids any negative connotations of the terms
“isolated” and “traditional”, which are often related to backwardness, stupidity and
primitiveness.
It is most important that concerned individuals know about and are aware of the
problems faced by indigenous peoples related to their diversity, cultural diversity,
religions, beliefs and economic and social institutions.
Characteristics of indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples live in
many parts of Indonesia,
in forests, mountains and
coasts. Some are nomadic
and some are sedentary.
They may carry out
gathering, rotational
swidden farming,
agroforestry, fishing,
small-scale plantations
and mining for their
subsistence needs.
A common characteristic of indigenous peoples in Indonesia is that the people
traditionally live on their ancestral land and water, but often differ between one another.
Because of external influences and internal needs, indigenous peoples have been
experiencing continuous change. Some groups change very slowly, or even do not
change at all; they still live with their intact social, cultural, political and religious
systems. Examples include the
Orang Kanekes (commonly known as
the Orang Badui) in Banten (western
part of Java) and the Orang Ama Toa
(commonly known as the Orang
Kajang Dalam) in Bulukumba
(southern tip of southwestern arm of
Sulawesi). Others, however, change
very rapidly and almost thoroughly,
such as the people in Java and the
eastern coast of Sumatera.
Indigenous groups outside Java still
show the characteristics of being
politically independent and genuinely
autonomous, although they have
been adopting – to different degrees
– new values, norms and social
institutions from outside groups. Even in some regions of Java, we can still find
community groups with strong indigenous traditions such as those in “kasepuhan” in
South Banten, Orang Tengger and Orang Using in East Java and Sedulur Sikep in Central
Java.
The names of the community groups with distinct social political systems vary among
regions. For example, in Aceh they are referred to as “Pemukiman/Gampong”, in Batak
land (Toba) “Horja/Bius”, in Minangkabau “Nagari”, in Mentawai Islands “Laggai/Uma”, in
Central and South Sumatera “Marga/Kebatinan/Negeri”, in interior Kalimantan
4
“Banua/Binua/Ketemenggungan/Balai/Lowu/Lewu”, in Tana Toraja “Lembang/Penanian”,
in Kei Islands „Ratchap/Ohoi’, and many others.
There are additional characteristics exhibited by communities in Indonesia, namely (i)
self-identification and identification by others as part of a distinct indigenous cultural
group, and the desire to preserve that cultural identity; (ii) a linguistic identity different
from that of the dominant society; (iii) social, cultural, economic, and political traditions
and institutions distinct from the dominant culture; (iv) economic systems oriented more
towards traditional means of production than to mainstream production methods; and (v)
unique ties to traditional habitats and ancestral territories, and to the natural resources
in these habitats and territories. Other characteristics include their relationship with the
land where they live, not only in physical terms but also in communal magic or religious
beliefs.
For indigenous peoples in Indonesia, land and nature is everything for their continuing
lives and survival. They depend on nature, as they believe the earth is a common
property that has to be protected for its sustainability. They have their own knowledge
about how to manage nature. For instance, they divide the use of land into forbidden
land, graveyard, cultivated land or hunting ground.2 They have a wide range of meanings
about natural resources from religious, social, economic and political perspectives. They
believe that the earth helps them to survive and gives them social status in the
community.3
For example, the Indonesian archipelago contains 120.35 million hectares of forest,
which is the largest forest area in South-East Asia and the world‟s third largest after the
Amazon and Congo Basins. The forests have been categorized as production forests
(58.25 million hectares), protected forests (33.52 million hectares), conservation forests
(20.5 million hectares) and non-forestry development reserved forests/conversion forests
(8.08 million hectares).4 Indigenous peoples have lived in these vast forests for
millennia, and their cultures and lives are inextricably related to their forests and to
maintaining their profound and multi-dimensional relationships with them.
“The forest is our mother, our breast milk”, say the indigenous peoples of Paser in East
Kalimantan. Their existence is reflected in the forest through oral history, traditional
knowledge and well-defined and detailed customary tenure regimes by which all
indigenous peoples delineate their traditional territories. In relation to forest
management, customary laws are designed to ensure sustainability and communal wellbeing. These customary forest laws commonly govern ownership (individual, collective,
communal), designation (forest use) and other aspects related to human interaction with
forests. That is why, under customary laws, forests had been free from outside
intervention, including from local and regional businesses.5 Sacred sites, which serve as
focal points for spiritual life, are generally located in forests. Thus, forest management is
accompanied by spiritual elements in the form of religious ceremonies.
2
Environment activists believe indigenous peoples manage their natural resources according to their customary
law that is friendly to the environment and conserves the forest.
3
Beanal, Tom, Amungme, Jakarta: Elsam, 1998
4
UN Food and Agricultural Organization, Information and Analysis for Sustainable Forest Management: Linking
National and International Efforts in South Asia and Southeast Asia, Bangkok, Thailand 2002. Available at:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/AC778E/AC778E11.htm
5
See, Seven Spells-Seven Curses: Reflection of the 10th Years of SHK Movement, John Bamba, downloaded on
8 July 2006 from http://www.kpshk.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=2
5
2. Situation of indigenous peoples in Indonesia
Indigenous peoples in Indonesia live
mostly in rural environments which are
rich in natural resources (e.g. forest,
water, minerals, oil, natural gas and land).
Indigenous peoples – who have
traditionally relied on nature to provide
them with plants and animals from the
fields and forests, fish from the rivers and
seas and clean water – suffer from poverty
when they are denied control and access
to land and natural resources. The
systematic impoverishment of indigenous
peoples has occurred through the transfer
of land and natural resource ownership, resulting in the loss of indigenous peoples‟
livelihoods.
In the name of development, the country
has and continues to transfer land
ownership to private industrial enterprises
such as mining companies, industrial
timber companies, forest concession
holders and other industries without
implementing the process of free, prior
and informed consent.
Structural inequities and inequalities were
further reinforced by the legislation of
discriminatory and oppressive land laws,
which ignored indigenous peoples‟
customary land tenure systems and laws.
In Indonesia, the indigenous peoples are
limited by government policies that do not
acknowledge their rights to their
traditional lands and natural resources.
Development aggression and government neglect in providing social services to
indigenous peoples all contributed to chronic poverty among indigenous peoples. In many
cases, a family‟s income is not enough to cover the requirements for everyday life,
including education and health.
The limited research that has been undertaken indicates that indigenous peoples are
disproportionately represented among the poorest of the poor in Indonesia. A study by
the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2002 on the poverty situation of indigenous
peoples and ethnic minorities could not establish trends in the relationship between
poverty and ethnicity because of a lack of disaggregated data based on ethnicity.
In this study, poverty is a continuously debated concept. People have different definitions
and indicators for poverty. There are at least three basic causes of poverty among
indigenous peoples: (i) the problem of inadequacy of access and unavailability of facilities
and services for the fulfilment of basic needs: the absence of means for education and
health services and the lack of roads, markets, clean water and other services are
regarded as a reflection of a low quality of life; (ii) sociocultural problems that include
values and behaviour that are perceived as inimical to the improvement of community
life: low work ethics, lack of creativity, consumptive behaviour and a short-term outlook
6
are some values said to reflect a culture of poverty; (iii) structural problems, namely,
policies and regulations rooted in the wider system that do not favour indigenous
peoples.
From this perspective, poverty does not derive from indigenous peoples, but from those
groups external to the communities that control the wider system. It is injustice
embedded in the system that impoverishes indigenous peoples. In short: “indigenous
peoples are not poor, but are made poor.” Thus, the problem is not “poverty” but
“impoverishment.” This chapter does not debate the concept of poverty, but describes
causes of poverty as perceived by indigenous peoples. First, there is a brief description of
poverty trends in rural communities, to which most indigenous peoples belong. This is
followed by a description of existing conditions of indigenous peoples in four case-study
villages in Central Sulawesi and East Kalimantan and by indigenous peoples‟ perceptions
about poverty.
As mentioned above, the lack of accurate data – even about the number and location of
indigenous peoples – makes it difficult to understand the extent of poverty among
indigenous peoples. The statistical data only provide the numbers of poor rural people.
However, these data give a rough picture of poverty among indigenous peoples because
many indigenous peoples live in rural areas. Indigenous peoples live in relatively poor
conditions. Most of them live in rural areas and around forests, as seen in various
development data. In 2007, Papua and West Papua had the highest poverty level in
Indonesia; that is 40.78 per cent and
39.31 per cent respectively (BPS,
2008). The number of poor people in
Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) in
2007 reached 26.65 per cent (see
table 1 below). The poverty level in
the three provinces was far above
the national average level, which
stood at 16.58 per cent. Most of the
population in the three provinces,
particularly rural and forest people,
were indigenous peoples. Most
ironically, NAD, Papua and West
Papua were among the ten richest
provinces with considerable gross
domestic products.
Table 1 on the next page describes poverty distribution by province. The table shows two
interesting things: first, island provinces (i.e. Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa
Tenggara and South-East Sulawesi) represented poverty pockets.6 This shows that there
were gaps and bad infrastructure that hampered the peoples‟ accessibility in the
economy. Second, the three provinces with the richest natural resources – NAD, Papua
and West Papua – were the ones with the worst poverty levels. In these provinces in
2006, the Human Development Indexes (HDI) were NAD 69.4; Papua 62.8; and West
Papua 66.1 – all below the average national HDI of 70.1. This means that the capacity of
the people in these provinces was lower than the average.
6
North Maluku and Kepulauan Riau were exceptions: they had poverty levels below the average national level
because they are rich in minerals.
7
Table 1: Percentage of poor peoples by province
Province
Nangroe Aceh Darussalam
North Sumatera
West Sumatera
Riau
Jambi
South Sumatera
Bengkulu
Lampung
Kepulauan Bangka Belitung
Kepulauan Riau
DKI Jakarta
West Java
Central Java
DI Yogyakarta
East Java
Banten
Bali
West Nusa Tenggara
East Nusa Tenggara
West Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan
South Kalimantan
East Kalimantan
North Sulawesi
Central Sulawesi
South Sulawesi
South East Sulawesi
Gorontalo
West Sulawesi
Maluku
North Maluku
West Papua
Papua
Indonesia
2005
28.69
14.68
10.89
12.51
11.88
21.01
22.18
21.42
9.74
10.97
3.61
13.06
20.49
18.95
19.95
8.86
6.72
25.92
28.19
14.24
10.73
7.23
10.57
9.34
21.80
14.98
21.45
29.05
32.28
13.23
40.83
16.69
2006
28.28
15.01
12.51
11.85
11.37
20.99
23.00
22.77
10.91
12.16
4.57
14.49
22.19
19.15
21.09
9.79
7.08
27.17
29.34
15.24
11.00
8.32
11.41
11.54
23.63
14.57
23.37
29.13
20.74
33.03
12.73
41.34
41.52
17.75
2007
26.65
13.90
11.90
11.20
10.27
19.15
22.13
22.19
9.54
10.30
4.61
13.55
20.43
18.99
19.98
9.07
6.63
24.99
27.51
12.91
9.38
7.01
11.04
11.42
22.42
14.11
21.33
27.35
19.03
31.14
11.97
39.31
40.78
16.58
Source: 2006 Poverty Data and Information, Analysis and Calculation of the 2007 Poverty, BPS.
It is very interesting to compare poverty levels in rural and urban/city areas. Table 2 on
the next page clearly shows that the number of poor people in rural areas always
exceeds that in cities. This is the consequence of the development paradigm that focuses
mainly on modernization. Various modernization theories always project a country
adopting the paradigm to become an industrial country. Therefore, growth of industrial
cities has always been the main target rather than rural areas. In Indonesia, most
indigenous peoples live in rural areas. To date, up to 50 per cent of the population have
been dependent on the agricultural sector. Does the development in Indonesia have to
sacrifice rural areas? Are there no other alternatives?
8
Table 2: Poverty level and number of the poor, 2000-2008
Year
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Poverty threshold
(rupiah/capita/month)
City
Rural
91,632
73,648
100,011
80,382
130,499
96,512
138,803
105,888
143,455
108,725
150,799
117,259
174,290
130,584
187,942
146,837
204,896
161,831
Number of the poor
(in millions)
City
Rural
12.3
26.4
8.6
29.3
13.3
25.1
12.2
25.1
11.4
24.8
12.4
22.7
14.5
24.8
13.6
23.6
12.8
22.2
Percentage of the
poor (total)
19.14
18.41
18.20
17.42
16.66
15.97
17.75
16.58
15.36
Source: Processed from the National Social Economic Survey Data (Susenas) and BPS 2008
The most important point of the many reports on poverty in Indonesia is that the data on
prosperity and poverty are based on paradigms, standards and indicators that exclude
aspects that are very important for indigenous peoples.
Criteria and indicators for poverty according to indigenous peoples
Based on the ADB study in 2002 on the poverty situation of indigenous peoples and
ethnic minorities7, indigenous peoples perceive poverty to cover a wide spectrum of
issues, including: structural problems (e.g. lack of protection of their rights to, and
inequitable allocation of natural resources); behavioural and cultural problems; and
problems related to the availability of basic social facilities or services. These issues are
described below.

Lack of recognition of adat rights over land and natural resources: The main
cause of indigenous peoples‟ poverty is lack of recognition and protection of their
rights to their land and natural resources, from which many have been dispossessed.
In Central Sulawesi, a decree by the Governor, promulgated in 1992, legally ignores
and extinguishes ulayat rights over land8. Much adat land and adat forest were
claimed for the buffer zone Lore Lindu National Park. Land was taken and allocated
without adequate prior consultation and consent of the communities.
In East Kalimantan, because of the lack of legal recognition and protection of
customary rights over land and natural resources, the Government took lands and
forests of indigenous peoples and allocated it for logging concessions, mining and
plantations without prior consultation with or adequate compensation to the affected
communities.
As a result, land conflicts occurred. One such conflict was between the indigenous
peoples of Paser and PTPN XIII, a state-owned company in the oil palm business.
The indigenous peoples demanded to own and use certain areas of the plantations
within their existing adat land area. The plantation management said that the case
had been already concluded and that the company had always tried to get the
indigenous peoples involved in the plantation projects but the indigenous peoples
refused. A member of one of the indigenous peoples of Paser said that the
Government did not understand the community‟s values.
7
The study was conducted among indigenous peoples of the Toro Communities and Kalora of the Centra
Sulawesi, Tunjung People in Sekolaq Darat Village, East Kalimantan and Benuaq People in Benung Village, East
Kalimantan.
8
Communal right over land shared by all members of an adat society
9
Indigenous peoples in East Kalimantan realize that they are wealthy in terms of
natural resources. Rather than getting benefit from this wealth, they feel that they
are discriminated against by the Government. A member of one of the indigenous
peoples said: “The Government only thinks about the incoming people and not about
us.”

Pollution and degradation of land and natural resources: The indigenous
peoples in East Kalimantan stated that their poverty is also caused by various
development activities, mainly logging, mining and plantations, coming to their
areas. Because of these activities, the natural environment of indigenous peoples has
become polluted and degraded.
As mentioned earlier, a big forest fire in 1997 in East Kalimantan destroyed
indigenous peoples‟ farms. When the communities ran out of food, they could not
buy more because smoke from the fire hampered transportation. At the same time, a
long drought caused the river level to drop, which in turn made river transport
difficult or even impossible.

Agricultural land: Poor land quality can be a reason for poverty, as in the case of
Kalora, where most villagers are rainfed farmers and their land is eroded. Floods
destroy their crops in the rainy season, and they lack water for plants during the dry
season.

Transfer of land to outsiders: The need for cash has caused the transfer or sale of
land by some indigenous peoples to outsiders. This phenomenon became significant
when transportation to the villages became available. In the village of Rachmat,
subdistrict of Palolo, Donggala, Central Sulawesi, good cocoa plantations now belong
to absentee outsider-owners, especially from Palu. The transfer of agricultural land to
people from Palu also occurred in Kalora, which is located close to that city.

Lack of education: Indigenous peoples realize that their poverty is also due in part
to lack of education. In East Kalimantan, such as in Benung Village, education
facilities do not reach all communities because of their remoteness. In some cases,
although schools are available, the quality of the buildings is bad and the schools
lack teachers. Because of this low level of education, in many cases indigenous
peoples have failed to compete with the newcomers or immigrants, who usually have
good education. Some indigenous peoples‟ elders in East Kalimantan and West
Sumatra say that formal education in schools should also include local knowledge.
Indigenous peoples in West Sumatra have made efforts to teach local knowledge to
the young generation in order to strengthen cultural identity. This activity, which
they implemented through the programme “Back to Nagari Movement”, has been the
main thrust of efforts to rehabilitate adat institutions.

Poor health: The indigenous peoples in Benung, East Kalimantan complained about
the lack of health facilities in their village. The hospital and health clinic are very far
from their village and the medicines and treatment are very expensive for them. The
same complaint was voiced in the villages of Toro and Kalora. Health problems are
also perceived as a cause of poverty. A member of the Toro indigenous peoples said:
“How can we work to make our life better if we are sick?” These villagers formerly
used traditional medicines, which were easily obtained from the surrounding forests.
However, it is now difficult to find many of these medicines because the forests have
been degraded.

Lack of infrastructure and transport facilities: The problems of transport in
some indigenous peoples‟ communities were described above. Such problems are
perceived by the people of the Togian Islands in Luwuk Banggai, Central Sulawesi as
a barrier to improving their economy. Indigenous farmers and fishing households
10
there accept prices well below mainland market rates from produce traders who
travel through the region.

Fluctuations in the price of commodities: Fluctuations in commodity prices were
mentioned as factors that make the economy uncertain in Toro village, while in East
Kalimantan, escalating fuel prices have led to corresponding increases in the cost of
transportation and, in turn, the price of basic commodities such as rice, sugar, and
salt.

Lack of information: Life for indigenous peoples can be difficult because of the lack
of or limited access to information. For example, for the indigenous peoples in
Sekolaq Darat, East Kalimantan, lack of information on how to choose good rubber
tree seedlings caused some growers in an ADB-supported project to plant poor
seedlings. For years they grew and cultivated rubber trees that in the end gave poor
returns.
3. National legislation on indigenous peoples
In general, Indonesian law is disadvantageous to indigenous peoples. However, a few
clauses of certain pieces of legislation give some recognition to indigenous sovereignty
over their lands and rights, as described below:
i.
Second Amendment to the 1945 Indonesian Constitution, 2000 (Perubahan
kedua Undang-undang Dasar 1945)
 Chapter VI Article 18 B Paragraph (2) states that :
“The state shall recognize and respect units of customary law societies9 with their
traditional rights as long as they still exist and are in accordance with community
development10 and the principle of the Unitary State of the Republic of
Indonesia11, as regulated by laws”.
 Chapter XA Article 28 i Paragraph (3) states that :
“The cultural identity and traditional community rights shall be respected in line
with progress and human civilization”.
ii. People’s Consultative Assembly Decree No.9/2001 on Agrarian Reform and
Natural Resource Management (TAP MPR No.IX Tahun 2001 tentang
Pembaruan Agraria dan Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Alam)
 Article 4 says: The implementation of agrarian reform and natural resource
management shall be based on the following principles:
(b) “respecting and honouring human rights”
(j) “recognizing, respecting, and protecting the rights of the customary law
societies and the diversity of the national culture with respect to agrarian
resources/natural resources”.
 Article 6 says that the People‟s Assembly:
“Tasks the DPR12 and the President of the Republic of Indonesia immediately to
regulate the further implementation of agrarian reform and natural resource
management and to revoke, amend and/or revise all laws, rules and regulations
that are not in conformity with this Decree”.
9
„Customary law societies‟ is the literal translation of Masyarakat hukum adat, which means those communities
who live by customary law.
10
„In accordance with community development‟ is the literal translation of „sesuai dengan perkembangan
masyarakat‟ and it implies that indigenous peoples are at the lower level of indigenous society.
11
The concept of the „Unity of the Indonesian Republic‟ is always used by the Government to legitimize its
control of land and natural resources. The government fears that attempts by indigenous peoples to control
their resources could result in the fragmentation or disintegration of the country. Indigenous demands in Aceh
and West Papua are particularly sensitive issues.
12
DPR is the Indonesian Legislative body that is equivalent to Parliament in the UK.
11
iii. The Basic Agrarian Law No. 5/1960 (Undang-Undang Pokok Agraria tahun
1960, UUPA)
 Chapter I Article 5 says that:
“The agrarian law which applies to land, water and space is customary law, in so
far as this does not conflict with national and state interests - which are based on
the unity of the nation, Indonesian socialism and other regulations in this and
other laws, and due respect to norms founded in religious laws”.13
iv. Indonesian Forestry Act No. 41/1999 (Undang-undang Kehutanan No. 41
tahun 1999)
 Chapter I Article 1 Paragraph 6 states that:
“Adat forest means state forests located in areas covered by traditional
jurisdiction”.
 Chapter II Article 5 Paragraph (2), (3) & (4).
(2) “State forest as referred to in Paragraph (1) point a, can be in the form of adat
forest”.
(3) „ The government designates the status of forest as referred to in Paragraph
(1) and Paragraph (2); “adat forest shall be designated as long as customary
law societies still exist and their existence is recognized”.
(4) “If – as result of developments – the customary law societies no longer exist,
the management rights of those adat forests shall return to the government”.
 Chapter IX Article 67 states that :
(1) “As long as customary law societies exist and are recognized, they have the
right to:
a) collect forest products to meet the daily needs of these communities;
b) manage forests in accordance with prevailing customary laws which do not
contravene state laws; and
c) receive entitlements to improve their welfare”.14
(2) “Confirmation of the existence and abolishment of customary law societies as
referred to in Paragraph (1) shall be stipulated in Local Regulations”.
(3) “Further provisions as referred to in Paragraph (1) and Paragraph (2), shall be
regulated by Government Regulations.”
v. Local Government Act No. 22/1999 (Undang-undang No. 22/1999 tentang
Pemerintahan Daerah)
 Chapter I Article 1, point o states that:
“Villages, or other forms of settlement henceforth called villages, are units of lawbased society which have the authority to manage and take care of local
communities‟ interests based on their origins and local customs, within District
territory and as recognized by the national government system”.
 Chapter XI Article 111 Paragraph (2) states that :
“Local government regulations, as meant in Paragraph (1), must recognize and
respect villages‟ rights, origins and customs.”
vi. Act No. 39 of 1999 on Human Rights
 Article 6 of Act 39 provides an explicit formulation of the recognition and
protection of indigenous peoples and their cultural identity, and considers this
recognition and protection as part of the implementation of human rights.
 Articles 36 and 37 of Act 39 of 1999 concerning property rights and acquisition of
property rights, respectively, become relevant in the framework of protection of
indigenous peoples‟ rights.
vii. Act No. 27/2007 on Coastal and Small Islands Management
 The law recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples to manage coastal and small
islands and recognizes indigenous knowledge as an important aspect in the
protection of the coastal areas and small islands.
13
This law was passed during the rule of the first president of Indonesia, Soekarno, and reflects his view of the
State which was very different from the perspectives of subsequent presidents. The 1960 Agrarian Law has
never been fully implemented, but it has also never been repealed.
14
i.e. indigenous communities have the right to inclusion in government programmes intended to improve
community livelihoods.
12
Government institutions working with indigenous peoples
The Department of Social Welfare (DepSos) and The Directorate for the Empowerment of
Isolated Indigenous Communities (Dit.PKAT) are the only entities of Indonesia‟s
Government that devote resources specifically to indigenous peoples as a vulnerable
group. Dit.PKAT has operational units throughout the country, at provincial and district
levels, with programmes targeting “remote or isolated indigenous” households each year.
They work with local government agencies and universities to identify such communities,
assessing them as “feasible” for inclusion in DepSos‟ empowerment programme.
To implement this programme, DepSos coordinates with sectoral agencies and the
Defence Forces. At the national level, a working group aims to include the Human Rights
Commission and civil society organizations (CSOs) as members with the capacity to
advise and support implementation of Dit.PKAT programmes and activities. The
programme aims to empower communities to participate in government institutions and
services (including organizing identity cards and accessing heath and education services)
and to participate in the modern economy through a three-year programme in which
most resources appear to go towards building pro-forma housing and village
infrastructure and providing household items. The programmes‟ welfare approach is
regarded with disdain by many CSOs, and clearly there is a need for critical review of the
approaches used. DepSos is signatory to UNDP‟s Regional Indigenous Peoples‟
Programme (RIPP), and is also involved with some donor-led programmes rolled out by
other ministries (Coordinating Ministry for Peoples Welfare, and Ministry for Promotion of
Underdeveloped Regions), for example, with minimum service standards.
The Internal Affairs Department and Law/Human Rights Ministries are two institutions in
Indonesia that wield considerable power over other ministries and, to some extent,
“contain the agenda” on indigenous rights protection. The concerns over separatism have
a strong seat in the Department of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Law and Human
Rights takes the lead (with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) on reporting to
the United Nations on Indonesia‟s implementation of international conventions.
Other sectoral agencies and legislative bodies – Bappeda (Local-level Planning Agency)
and BPMD (Local-level Village Community Empowerment Agency) – have a mandate that
relates to indigenous peoples‟ interests. In BPMD, there is a subunit for “Peoples‟ Cultural
and Traditional Institutions” (sub-bidang Kelembagaan Tradisi dan Budaya Masyarakat).
However, they have no effective cross-reference or cooperation with other sectors of
local government working with indigenous communities (e.g. Dit. PKATin the Social
Department or the Legal Bureau). They focus on isolated aspects of community work, for
example, facilitating „honorarium‟ payments to village government officials and some
formal IPO leaders, or organizing competitions. BPMD has the potential to do more
meaningful facilitation at the community level; however, they need more financial
support and technical direction to do this.
Other agencies (e.g. forestry, land, minerals) have a strong stake in the protection of
indigenous rights, particularly at the local (provincial and district) level where regulations
must be developed and implemented.
4. International treaties, declarations and conventions ratified by Indonesia
Recognition of indigenous peoples‟ rights are not only incorporated in national legislation,
but also in international conventions, both binding and non-binding. Even the UN adopted
the Declaration of Indigenous Peoples‟ Rights in September 2007. The UN Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) sets the international minimum standards for
the protection, respect and fulfilment of the rights of indigenous peoples. While it is a
declaration and is therefore not legally binding as conventions are, many of the articles
are actually legally binding as these are lifted from the Convention on Civil and Political
13
Rights and the Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Indonesia signed the
adoption of the Declaration, and as a signatory to the UNDRIP, Indonesia has agreed to
respect, protect and fulfil the rights of the indigenous peoples in Indonesia. But in fact,
the UNDRIP has been not implemented until today.
After 1998 various administrations decided to ratify a number of international
conventions on human rights. By December 1994, Indonesia had ratified nine
conventions15, all of them relating to indigenous concerns. They are:









Law No. 7/1984 on the Ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women
Presidential Decree No. 36/1990 on the Ratification of the Convention concerning the
Rights of the Child
Law No. 5/1994 on the Ratification of the United Nations Convention on Biological
Diversity
Law No. 5/1998 on the Ratification of the Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Law No. 19/1999 on the Ratification of the ILO Convention No. 105 concerning The
Abolition of Forced Labour
Law No. 20/1999 on the Ratification of ILO Convention No. 138 concerning Minimum
Age for Admission to Employment
Law No. 21/1999 on the Ratification of the ILO Convention No. 21 concerning the
Discrimination in the Respect of Employment and Occupation
Law No. 29/1999 on the Ratification of the International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 1965
Law No. 1/2000 on the Ratification of the ILO Convention No. 182 concerning the
Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child
Labour
5. Regional, national and grass-roots organizations/networks in Indonesia
Regional indigenous peoples‟ organizations
The Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) is a regional organization established by
indigenous peoples‟ organizations in 1992 to strengthen the struggles, cooperation and
solidarity among indigenous peoples across Asia. AIPP is committed to defending and
revitalizing: indigenous systems, institutions and their control over their ancestral
homelands, and their own development and future. AIPP is guided by its Charter and
Working Guidelines agreed upon by its General Assembly. At present, AIPP has members
from 14 countries and has broad network for cooperation and solidarity with other
organizations, institutions and advocates at national, regional and global levels.
Address: 108, Moo 5, Soi 6 Tambone Sanpranate, Amphur Sansai Chiang Mai - 50210,
Thailand. Phone: +66 (0)53 380 168. Fax: +66 (0)53 380752. Email:
[email protected]
National indigenous peoples‟ organizations
Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara/AMAN (Indigenous People Alliance of the
Archipelago) is an indigenous peoples‟ organization that represents indigenous peoples
from throughout Indonesia. The Alliance aims to be an organization for indigenous peoples
to struggle for their existence, rights and sovereignty in running their lives and managing
their natural resources. AMAN‟s main working areas are (i) indigenous organization,
15
In 2005, the Parliament and the Government agreed to ratify the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as Laws No 11/2005 and No
12/2005 respectively.
14
networking and customary institutions development; (ii) Indigenous rights advocacy and
legal defense; (iii) strengthening customary-based economic systems; (iv) strengthening
indigenous women; and (v) education for indigenous youth.
Address: Jalan Tebet Utara II Block C No. 22, Jakarta Selatan 12820, Indonesia.Telp/Fax
+6221-8297954; Email: [email protected]; Website: www.aman.or.id
NGOs working in support of indigenous peoples
Jaringan Kerja Pemetaan Partisipatif (JKPP) is a network of 33 non-governmental
and community organizations from all over Indonesia. It was formed with the aim of
"accelerating the recognition of customary community rights in managing local natural
resources in Indonesia through the development of community mapping concepts,
methodologies and strategies". It is working towards the formation of a 'Traditional
Community Mapping Network' with a broad cross section of stakeholders.
Address: Jl. Cimanuk Blok B7 No.6, Perumahan Bogor Baru, Bogor 16152 - Indonesia
Telp. +62 251 379143, Fax. +62 251 314210, email. [email protected], Website:
www.jkpp.org
Perkumpulan Telapak works effectively through intense study, investigation and
monitoring of primary issues on natural resource management and advocates on local,
national, and international levels. Currently, Telapak is working on the following:
monitoring and advocating on forest management, especially against illegal logging and
forest destruction; working against destructive fishing through development of
alternative fish-catching methods; promoting the management practices of natural
resources by the local community on DAS (River Basin Area) and its non-timber forest
products; monitoring the effectiveness of local society‟s involvement in forestry projects
funded by grants in Indonesia; and monitoring the involvement of Indonesia‟s civil
society in international initiatives against illegal logging and illegal timber trade.
Address: Jl. Pajajaran No. 54 Bogor 16143, Jawa Barat, Indonesia. Phone : +62 251
8393 245, 715 9902. Fax: +62 251 8393 247. Email : [email protected]. Website:
www.telapak.org
Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI)/Friend of the Earth of Indonesia
is the largest independent, non-profit environmental organization in Indonesia. It is
present in 26 provinces incorporating 436 NGOs, nature-lover groups (KPA) and self-help
groups. It was established on 15 October 1980 to express reaction to and concern about
injustice in the management of natural resources and sources of livelihood, resulting
from non-sustainable and unjust development paradigms and processes. Its vision is to
establish a just democratic social, economic and political structure which secures
communities‟ rights to sources of livelihood and healthy environment. Its mission is to
become an independent network of environmental protectors to establish just and
democratic ecological and societal structures.
Address: Jl. Tegal Parang No.14 Jakarta Selatan 12790. Phone: +62 21 791933 63 – 65.
Fax: +62 21 7941673. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.walhi.or.id
Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) is an independent forest-watching organization
comprising individuals and organizations committed to establishing open forestry-related
data and information management which can ensure just and sustainable forest
management. FWI believes that its ambition will only be achieved when forestry-related
data and information are accessible and when forest management is free from any forms
of exploitation and conversion that undermine forests‟ carrying capacity and that incite
conflicts.
Address: Jl. Sempur Kaler No. 62 Bogor-Indonesia 16129. Telp: +622518333 308/Fax :
+62 2518317926. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]. website:
http://www.fwi.or.id
15
Sawit Watch is an Indonesian NGO concerned with adverse negative social and
environmental impacts of oil palm plantation development in Indonesia. Sawit Watch's
(Oil Palm Watch) individual members work in 17 provinces where oil palm plantations are
being developed. Sawit Watch seeks to promote social justice through rights-based
approaches.
Address: Jl. Sempur Kaler No. 28 Bogor West Java 16129. Telephone: +62 251 352171
Fax: +62 251 352047. Email: [email protected]. Website:
http://www.sawitwatch.or.id
HuMA (Association for Community and Ecologically-based Legal Reform), was
founded in 2001 by individuals who have long experience and a clear position regarding
the importance of community and ecological-based law reform on issues related to land
and other natural resources.
Address: Jl. Jati Agung No. 8, Jati Padang – Pasar Minggu, Jakarta 12540, Indonesia,
Tel: +62(21)78845871, Fax: +62(21)7806959, Email: [email protected] and
[email protected]
Local grass-roots indigenous peoples‟ organizations
Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Kalimantan Barat (Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of
West Kalimantan)/AMAN Kalbar is one of the provincial offices of the Indigenous
Peoples‟ Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) in West Kalimantan. Until October 2006,
AMAN Kalbar was working directly with its registered members of 106 indigenous
communities, including 247,000 people. These communities live in nine districts in West
Kalimantan: Ketapang, Pontianak, Sanggau, Sintang, Bengkayang, Landak, Sekadau,
Melawi and Kapuas Hulu, and are mainly Dayak.
Address: Jl. Budi Utomo, No.03, Siantan Hulu, Pontianak Utara 78241, Kalimantan Barat,
Tel/fax: +62 561 885264/885211, email: [email protected]
6. Information on IFAD’s work with indigenous peoples
IFAD supports the Indonesian Government in its efforts to achieve medium-term and
long-term objectives of poverty reduction. IFAD‟s operations in Indonesia aim to
empower poor rural women and men living in poor areas in order to enhance their food
security, increase their incomes and reduce poverty.
In December 2008, IFAD approved the organization‟s new Country Strategic
Opportunities Programme (COSOP for Indonesia) for the period 2009–2013. The COSOP
outlines three strategic objectives:
 to increase the access of rural poor people to productive assets, appropriate
technology and support services in order to boost on-farm and off-farm productivity;
 to enhance the access of poor rural people to infrastructure, to markets for inputs
and outputs and to financial services;
 to build the capacity of poor rural people to engage in local policy and programming
processes.
IFAD focuses on areas where there is a high incidence of poverty, where there are large
numbers of poor rural households, and where there are opportunities to improve
agricultural productivity and develop strategic partnerships. It establishes operations in
places where there are no major, ongoing, externally financed development
programmes.
Programmes and projects funded by IFAD work to help:
 poor rural households that have limited access to land and are without other
productive assets or opportunities for off-farm employment; and
16

ethnic minority communities and other marginalized groups.
Investment projects under the new country programme will focus on poor people, those
who are food insecure and ethnic minority communities living in rainfed, upland and
coastal areas and other marginalized areas in eastern Indonesia that are characterized by
a high incidence of rural poverty.
In 2004, IFAD approved a loan for financing the:
RURAL EMPOWERMENT AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN
CENTRAL SULAWESI16
Programme type
Project ID
Approval date
Implementation period
Total cost
IFAD loan
IFAD grant
Amount benefiting indigenous
peoples
Executing agency
Indigenous groups
Rural development
1258
2 December 2004
2008 - 2014
US$28.3 million
Approx US$21.1 million
Approx US$500,000
Approx 70 per cent
Ministry of Agriculture
Bali, Banngai, Bugis, Buol, Gorontalo, Jawa, Kaili, Saluan,
Sea-sea, Osan, Wana, Loinan, Lauje, Tajio, Kulawi, Dondo
Programme area
The programme targets the fifth-poorest province of Indonesia, Central Sulawesi
Province, in the eastern part of the country, which covers most of Sulawesi Island. The
province includes nine districts, 77 subdistricts and 1,440 villages. Only one district is
urban, while the others are mainly rural.
The Central Sulawesi population is officially categorized into eight major ethnic groups:
the Bali, Banngai, Bugis, Buol, Gorontalo, Jawa, Kaili and Saluan. Many other ethnic
groups are subsumed within these major categories; however, most have distinctive
cultural practices and languages or dialects. In addition, more than 300,000 migrants
have moved into the province in recent decades. The indigenous population (excluding
migrants) accounts for nearly 70 per cent of the total population. Particularly isolated and
in need of attention are the following groups: Banggai, Dondo, Kaili, Kulawi, Loinan,
Lauje, Osan, Sea-sea, Tajio and Wana. All of those ethnic groups are made up mainly of
people living in Central Sulawesi upland areas who practise shifting cultivation and whose
economy is largely based on self-subsistence. Maize is the staple cultivation, and in some
areas, cocoa has been introduced as a cash crop. The main exception is the Sea-sea
group, who cultivates mainly tubers and inhabits the coasts of the Banggai islands.
Central Sulawesi‟s economy is far less developed than Indonesia as a whole. With
abundant natural resources and a very favourable climate, the province is a net exporter
of cereals and cash crops. The annual surplus of paddy is estimated at 157,000 tonnes.
However, the province is not exploiting its comparative advantage fully, since poverty is
widespread. Many of Central Sulawesi‟s poor households live in upland villages, although
pockets of poverty occur elsewhere. Many of the poor upland households practise semishifting cultivation and have a subsistence economy; they are not sufficiently wellintegrated into the mainstream economy to benefit from the more favourable
16
Source: Inception Report, December 2002; Socio-economic Assessment Report, IFAD, June 2003;
Formulation Report, September 2004; President‟s Report, IFAD (document EB 2004/83/R.24/Rev.1); Appraisal
Report (and Working Papers), 13 July 2006, President‟s Memorandum Confirmation Of Approval Of The
Financing Of The Revised Programme ( EB 2006/88/R.18/Rev.1)
17
macroeconomic conditions.
In the last three decades, land tenure issues have become more important in Indonesia.
The average size of rural land holdings is also decreasing below 0.6 hectare because of
population pressure, transmigration and local migration. In upland areas, households
may “sell” their land to outsiders, often under financial duress. When immigrant
communities become the dominant commercial, political and social force, there is
potential for conflict as has occurred in parts of Poso District in recent years, especially
where there are good commercial opportunities for plantation crops that are not being
realized by the indigenous communities.
Programme objective
The programme‟s goal is to tackle poverty in marginal communities through increased
incomes and improved livelihood conditions brought about by the sustained growth of
rural economic activity. This will be achieved by building the capacity of village
institutions to plan and manage their own development initiatives and by establishing
decision-making processes that involve the poorest households, with a special focus on
women and ethnic minorities.
Programme components and activities
The programme will have four components:
(i) sustainable rural enterprise development. This component will empower rural
poor men and women to use financial, technical, market and government services to
advance their own economic well-being. The programme will support village institutions
in preparing their own annual workplans and budgets. It will also help village enterprise
groups establish linkages with markets and banks, and assist the poorest households in
forming savings and credit groups based on affinity and homogeneity.
(ii) farm and off-farm enterprise development. This component aims at providing
poor farmers in marginal communities with sustainable access to appropriate technology,
management skills and commercial linkages with markets and private sector entities
operating in the supply chain for goods and services.
The programme finances the necessary global information systems equipment for
mapping and identifying land tenure issues, specialist service providers and necessary
workshops. Thereafter, support is provided for communities and individuals to register
their land through the formal certification process managed by Badan Pertanahan
Nasional (BPN).
(iii) rural infrastructure. This component will involve technical agencies and
communities in participatory approaches to the selection, design, construction and
management of facilities; it will also provide funds to build such facilities. Communities
will identify infrastructure investments and manage the financing for them.
(iv) programme management and institutional development. This will involve
support for the establishment of effective and flexible programme management by
strengthening existing rural institutions. Its aim is to develop the capacity of the
concerned institutions to apply programme principles in other development initiatives.
The component will include operational and logistical assistance and strengthening of
support for implementation and supervision processes.
Strategy
The programme‟s strategy relies on:
 a participatory and decentralized approach to the development of marginal
communities in the more disadvantaged geographical areas;
 the Government playing a facilitating role by adopting policies that support the rural
poor in overcoming their poverty; and
18

the private sector and civil society acting as essential elements of a coalition with
public-sector entities to create opportunities for sustainable rural income growth.
Innovative features
The model adopted by the programme invests in human and social capital formation as a
prerequisite for enabling poor people to gain access to the opportunities for economic
advancement offered through the programme, and for ensuring an equitable distribution
of opportunities and benefits. The model is new with respect to ongoing poverty
reduction initiatives in Indonesia. The programme will strengthen existing private, public
and civil institutions and the linkages they establish. It will support new institutions only
if these emerge during work with the poorest households.
Because the programme adopts a programmatic, non-prescriptive and demand-driven
approach, it does not preselect activities, but rather creates the framework within which
communities can identify their investment proposals and private-sector entities can seize
business opportunities.
In 2008, IFAD approved a loan and grant for the:
SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
IN RURAL AREAS PROJECT (PNPM)17
Project type
Project ID
Approval date
Implementation period
Total cost
IFAD loan
IFAD grant
Total cost benefiting ethnic minorities
Executive agencies
Indigenous beneficiaries
Community empowerment
1341
11 September 2008
2009-2015
US$68.5 million
US$68.1 million
US$0.40 million
Approx US$11.13 million
Ministry of Home Affairs – Directorate General
of Rural and Community Empowerment
Melanesian (mainly Dani, Bauzi, Asmat)
Background
The National Programme for Community Empowerment (PNPM) represents the
Government‟s long-term commitment to promoting greater participation of the rural
population in rural development, improved governance and better poverty reduction
programmes, and to developing a policy agenda for poverty reduction and the
institutional capacities required to support such an agenda. IFAD support to the PNPM will
aim at reducing poverty and improving local-level governance in rural areas through
providing investment resources to support productive proposals developed by
communities, using a participatory planning process.
Project area
PNPM will be a national programme with funds provided to each rural sub-district. The
two provinces of Papua and West Papua, the eastern most provinces in Indonesia which
cover 22 per cent of the total land area, will receive IFAD‟s targeted support for
agricultural development. In particular, 8 districts and 28 rural sub-districts of Papua and
West Papua will receive support from IFAD, and 507 000 rural households or 1.83 million
people living in 386 kecamatans in 28 kabupatens will benefit from it.
Although Papua is rich in natural resources, the main economic activities of Papua‟s
residents remain subsistence or semi-subsistence agriculture and animal husbandry,
together with fishing and hunting. Although most households produce food crops for their
own subsistence, small surpluses are sold in local markets; cocoa, coffee, nutmeg and
17
Source: President‟s report [EB 2008/94/R.17/Rev.1]; Inception Report, 31 July 2006; Formulation Report, 12
February 2007; Appraisal Report (Working Papers and Annexes), 23 January 2008.
19
vegetables are the main cash crops. Fish and marine products are also important.
Productivity is low and the marketing systems are long, intertwined, uncoordinated and
seller-driven. The system reflects the realities of high transaction costs when dealing with
small producers; the variable timing of harvests influenced by climatic factors; and
economies of scale in processing and transportation. The livelihoods of many rural
households are constrained by their lack of access to markets, technology and financial
resources.
In Papua, much land considered to be the customary, or adat, land of local tribes and
clans, is now formally classified as state land, and large areas have been allocated as
concessions to forestry and mining companies. Other areas constitute titled land or have
been formally designated as national reserves, while other areas remain adat land owned
by local communities used for subsistence activities or rented out to others. There is
considerable overlap between areas and between the formal system of titles and
traditional land ownership or adat land. As a result, traditional land ownership patterns
and the boundaries between lands owned by different communities have become
sensitive issues and sources of conflict between neighbouring tribes, clans and even
families. Disputes over land ownership have obstructed development and prevented the
improvement of the welfare of the traditional land owners.
Project objective
The overall objective of IFAD‟s support to PNPM is to contribute to the realization of the
Government‟s development goals of reducing poverty and improving local-level
governance in rural areas by providing investment resources to support productive
proposals developed by communities, using a participatory planning process.
Project components and activities
The programme will have four components:
(i) block grants. It is expected that local communities will use the block grants for
investment in public goods that will improve rural livelihoods, e.g. through crop and
livestock development, market linkages and value chain development. In Papua and
West Papua, the programme will provide block grants annually to each village for
investment in public goods without any intervillage competition. As a result, PNPM will
not allocate funds for block grants for investment in public goods, but it will provide the
necessary facilitation, training and implementation support and technical assistance.
(ii) facilitation and training. The IFAD-financed activities will complement the
facilitation process by supporting livelihoods improvement and will motivate farm families
to improve the quality of their production and facilitate market linkages and value chains
development.
100-150 “barefoot” or village agriculturalists will be hired as temporary change agents
and will help the villagers improve the productivity of agriculture and livestock production
by improving the quality of production and the returns from the market. They will provide
a link between the village and sources of technical, managerial and marketing knowledge
and will help villages access the marketing expertise required.
(iii) implementation support and technical assistance. Communities in the subdistricts will carry out most programme activities and monitor and check programme
progress at the village level. Local communities and community-based organizations,
such as tribal groups, will participate in programme implementation.
Under this component, the project will finance the costs of agricultural consultants at
kabupaten subregional and provincial levels and of market facilitation consultants to help
the villages improve the returns from their marketed agricultural production. An NGO to
ensure that gender considerations are mainstreamed in all project livelihood activities in
the two provinces will also be financed.
20
(iv) support for programme management. The IFAD support will help develop
capacity for policy analysis for formulation of pro-poor policies and approaches. PMD will
document and analyse the experience, lessons learned, best practices and innovations
from poverty reduction programmes for subsequent incorporation into national
government strategies and programmes.
Lessons learned
It is necessary to understand traditional leadership patterns and to recognize who is a
traditional (ancestral) clan leader and who is a self-made big man. “Big man” leadership
is exercised by individual men whose power depends upon manipulating the traditional
gift exchange system to obtain wealth and status. They tend to be acting in their own
interest, rather than in the interests of the tribe or clan. Being entrepreneurial, they
often have adapted well to modern changes and seized opportunities to advance their
own enterprises. The traditional ancestral clan leaders and elders have sometimes been
ignored because of the prominence of the big men.
The implications of this are clear: to ignore the people in both of these roles is to invite
opposition. Both types of leaders can obstruct development if they do not understand it,
or if they see it as a threat to their power and position.
It is important therefore for village facilitators to take time to talk with the leaders so
that they are fully aware of what the project development objectives are and what the
project will do. Very few women play a part in village governance: there is a need to
raise women‟s awareness, knowledge and skills so as to empower them to take a more
prominent role in village affairs.
The key to implementing rural community development programmes in Papua is to use
approaches that work effectively with the local indigenous groups. Providing technical
assistance, extension, support or guidance to local communities is critical to the success
of any type of community development work in Papua. Essential components are the
recruitment and appropriate training of field extension workers from the target
communities and creating an enabling environment for rural communities to improve
their livelihoods.
Among neighbouring tribes, clans and even families, traditional land ownership patterns
and the boundaries between lands owned by different communities have become
sensitive issues and sources of conflict. In many places, disputes over land ownership
between traditional owners and others have obstructed development and prevented
improvement in the welfare of the traditional land owners. To overcome this situation,
mapping of traditional land ownership has become crucial to the process of rural
development. Improved and flexible strategies and approaches are needed to conduct
such mapping.18
18
See Formulation Report Working Paper 5 on “Mapping of Traditional Land Ownership for further information.
21
The latest IFAD project benefitting Indigenous Peoples in Indonesia is the:
SMALLHOLDER LIVELIHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN EASTERN INDONESIA
(SOLID)19
Project type
Project ID
Approval date
Implementation period
Total cost
IFAD loan
IFAD grant
Total cost benefiting ethnic minorities
Executive agencies
Target group
Rural development
1509
11 May 2011
2011-2019
US$65 million
Approximately US$49.11 million
Approximately US$1.08 million
Approximately US$35.13 millions
Ministry of Agriculture, National Agency for Food
Security
Smallholder farmers, women-headed households,
poor indigenous and immigrant communities
Project objective
To improve livelihoods (incomes and food security) and reduce the incidence of poverty
for people in the targeted villages.
Project area
Five districts in Maluku and six districts in North Maluku.
Project components and activities
The Project shall consist of the following Components:
(i): Community Empowerment.
The output of this component is that communities are mobilised and SHGs and
Federations are established. The Project will adopt a Sustainable Village Development
Approach which will include: establishing and capacity building of the smallholders‟
institutions (SHGs and Federations), mainstreaming the use of local social capital,
improving smallholder competitiveness and farming systems, value chain management,
and environmentally sound resource management.
(ii): Productivity Improvement and Integrated Farming Systems.
The output of this component is that the extension services are improved to facilitate
increased agricultural productivity by smallholders. The focus will be on productivity and
quality improvement in the production of agriculture and livestock products in which the
provinces enjoy a natural comparative advantage, e.g. increasing cocoa, nutmeg and
coconut production, improving the productivity of annual food crops (rice, cassava etc.)
within the farming systems, improving production of vegetables for villages with access
to urban markets and development of small semi-intensive units for livestock.
(iii): Value Chain Development and Marketing. The output of this
component is the availability of services to improve market returns by the SHGs
and Federations. The Project will support the development of Federations and their
integration in value chains through the provision of financial (equity and/or working
capital), technical and management support, based on sound business plans. Links
will be developed between the Federations and key value chain participants to
provide incentives for farmers to adopt the interventions and produce higher (export)
quality products, to grade produce and ensure good primary processing (drying and
storage).
(iv): Productive Rural Infrastructure. The output of this component is that
small-scale rural infrastructure is improved. The Project will finance investments in
small-scale productive rural infrastructure through the provision of community
grants, in response to proposals submitted by the villages and to complement the
19
Source: President‟s report (EB 2011/102/R.19/Rev.1), IFAD‟s Report to the XI Session Of the UN Permanent
Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNFPII) (February 2012)
22
Project‟s support for agricultural productivity improvement.
(v): Institutional Strengthening and Project Management. The output of
this component is efficient project management and coordination. This component
will finance the costs of Project management at national, provincial and district
levels and support the development of the staff capacity of key participating
agencies to provide the services required by the rural community in the target
villages.
Moreover, one micro project was approved in Indonesia through IFAD‟s Indigenous
Peoples Assistance Facility (IPAF):
Mapping and Spatial Planning the Management Area of Tana Ai Traditional
Community which is around Egon Ilimedo and Wuko Lewoloro Forest Areas,
Sikka District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, 2008
Organization: JKPP Jaringan Kerja Pemetaan Partisipatif
IP group: Tana Ai
Project Area: East Nusa Tenggara Province
Grant amount: US$25,000
This project addressed the target groups‟ need to empower themselves in asserting
their rights and resolving conflicts over traditional lands and forest and to collectively
manage these resources in partnership with government authorities at the local,
district and state levels. The main objectives of the project were to:

strengthen Tana Ai communities through consolidation in 14 villages adjoining
directly with the forest areas of Egon Ilimedo and Wuko Lewoloro, including
strengthening women‟s rights in managing forest areas and land ownership;

facilitate participatory mapping and spatial planning to clarify the rights of the
Tana Ai community over the lands and resources management;

conduct advocacy and facilitate the dialogue on policy forest management of Egon
Ilimedo and Wuko Lewoloro between indigenous communities and local government.
The main outputs of the project were: (i) raising awareness among all stakeholders
about Tana Ai rights over lands and traditional forest area (including ancestral
territories); (ii) clarifying the boundaries of Tana Ai lands; (iii) recognizing Tana Ai
rights over the land and the forest area. Access and forest management were
recognized by the local government (village and subdistrict) and the district
government (Sikka).
7. International organizations working with indigenous peoples
International NGOs working with Indonesia‟s indigenous peoples
Down to Earth (DtE): International Campaign for Ecological Justice in Indonesia. Down
to Earth monitors and campaigns on the social and human implications of environmental
issues in Indonesia. DtE aims to support civil society groups and provide an international
voice at the levels of national governments, foreign companies, aid agencies and
international funding institutions. DtE‟s main focus is on the right of the rural poor and
indigenous peoples of the 'outer islands' to determine their own futures.
Address: 59 Athenlay Road, London SE15 3EN England, Email: [email protected], Website:
http://dte.gn.apc.org Tel/fax: +44 (0) 16977 46266
Forest Peoples Programme (UK) is an international NGO, founded in 1990, which
aims to secure the rights of indigenous and other peoples who live in and depend on the
forests to control their lands and destinies.
23
Address: 1c Fosseway Business Centre, Stratford Road, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 9NQ, UK.
Tel: (44) 01608 652893, Fax: (44) 01608 652878, e-mail: [email protected]
Tebtebba Foundation Indigenous Peoples International Center for Policy
Research and Education is an indigenous peoples‟ organization born out of the need
for heightened advocacy to have the rights of indigenous peoples recognized, respected
and protected worldwide.
Address: #1 Roman Ayson Rd. Baguio City 2600, Philippines, Tel No. 63 74 4447703.
Email: [email protected] Website: www.tebtebba.org
United Nations institutions
UNDP Regional Initiative on Indigenous Peoples' Rights and Development
(UNDP RIPP) encourages governments and indigenous peoples to cooperate closely in
widening the development choices available to indigenous peoples. It seeks to ensure
better integration of indigenous issues into national development processes and
outcomes through the following interlinked activities:
 conducting policy dialogues on critical issues at the local, national and regional level;
 providing policy advice and programming support for indigenous peoples‟ rights and
sustainable development; and
 strengthening the capacity of indigenous peoples and governments in upholding and
implementing indigenous rights.
Address: UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok, United Nations Service Building, 3rd Floor
Rajdamnern Nok Ave. Bangkok Thailand. Email: [email protected].
Tel: +66 (2) 288-2129/Fax: +66 (2) 288-3032
Global Environmental Facility – Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) is working to
ensure cost efficient programme management by mobilizing experienced volunteers,
experts and networks of the natural resources management community in Indonesia.
Through 2007 the programme had disbursed US$3.6 million with an annual rate of
US$600,000 in grants disbursement, and less than 15 per cent management costs.
Based on the Resource Allocation Framework enforced within GEF 4, GEF-SGP Indonesia
was awarded a total of US$2.4 million to support community initiatives in biodiversity
conservation and mitigation of climate change from 2007-2010. The National Steering
Committee (NSC) has recommended concentrating the programme to support critical
ecosystems in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java with additional support for small islands in
the west of Indonesia. The NSC determines the geographical and thematic focus based
on a review of current maps of critical ecosystems, hotspots, social institutions, poverty
pockets and the action plan published in the Indonesian Biodiversity Strategic Action
Plans (2003-2020). In addition to using current background thinking for vulnerability
analyses to ensure impact-oriented projects, the NSC also uses maps of disasters in
relation to climate change issues and ecological-based disasters.
Address: Jl. Hang Lekir VIII No.1 Kebayoran Baru Jakarta Selatan INDONESIA 12120.
Phone: +62 21 7206125 Fax: +62 21 7266341. Email: [email protected]
International financial institutions (IFIs)
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a multilateral development finance institution
whose mission is to reduce poverty in the Asia Pacific region. In 1998, the ADB formally
recognized that some previous development initiatives had intensified the marginalization
and poverty levels among indigenous peoples in Asia. Specifically, the ADB noted that
the loss of access to land and lack of participation in development had led to not only
increased marginalization of indigenous peoples, but in some cases, physical oppression
and disintegration or disappearance of distinct cultures. To protect against the
continuation of such a destructive legacy of “development” for indigenous peoples, and in
24
recognition of the fact that indigenous peoples have distinct development aspirations, the
Bank developed an Indigenous Peoples Policy.
Contacts: Indonesia Resident Mission : Gedung BRI II, 7 Floor Jl. Jend Sudirman Kav.
44–46 Jakarta 10210, Indonesia. P.O. Box 99 JKPSA Jakarta 10350A, Indonesia. Tel +62
21 251 2721/Fax +62 21 251 2749. Email: [email protected]. Website :
www.adb.org/IRM
The World Bank
The World Bank (WB) was the first international financial institution to develop internal
guidelines on respecting some of the rights of indigenous peoples. The Bank's 1982
guidelines on "Tribal Peoples in Bank Financed Projects" (OMS 2.34) were developed in
response to severe criticisms of the Bank for adverse impacts on indigenous communities
throughout the world. Indonesian communities covered by the WB‟s policy on indigenous
peoples can generally be classified as falling into one of three categories:
 First, there are small pockets of highly isolated, vulnerable groups such as the
Mentawai or other small island populations. Such groups can easily be adversely
affected by development projects because of cultural and administrative prejudices
against them, their unfamiliarity with modern market mechanisms or their inability to
retain control over productive and natural resources.
 A second category refers to the much larger ethnic populations, which meet most of
the WB‟s typological requirements (e.g. own language, sense of identity, traditional
attachments) but exhibit varying degrees of vulnerability. Populations such as the socalled Dayak of Kalimantan or the tribal groups of Nusa Tenggara Timor fit here.
 The third group refers to heterogeneous communities, where a segment of the
population is culturally or economically marginalized. Several of the fishing
populations of the eastern islands, for example, have unique identities and also occupy
subordinate positions within local social structures.
Address: The World Bank in Indonesia Office Gedung Bursa Efek Jakarta, Menara
II/Lantai 12. Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52-53 Jakarta 12910. Telp: (6221) 5299-3000/Fax:
(6221) 5299-3111. Website: www.worldbank.org/id
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has been active in Indonesia for nearly 40
years. Through sustainable private sector development, IFC aims to reduce poverty in
Indonesia by creating opportunities and improving people‟s lives. IFC in Indonesia has
three strategic objectives:
 Reduce the impact of climate change.
 Improve rural incomes.
 Promote sustainable urbanization.
In achieving the above objectives, IFC combines investment and advisory services to
expand access to finance, extend the reach of infrastructure, strengthen commoditybased supply chains and improve the investment climate.
Address: Headquarters International Finance Corporation 2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20433 USA
8. Good practices of UN and international organizations
Innovative projects on indigenous peoples‟ adaptation to climate change
Partnerships among indigenous communities and governments, UN agencies, scholars,
artists and advocates to develop better linkages and understanding of the regional
dimensions of land, natural resources and climate change are a key objective for UNDP
RIPP. With support from The Christensen Fund, UNDP RIPP supports projects that are
innovative, inspirational and linked to bioculturalism and community empowerment.
UNDP RIPP is implementing eight projects in partnership with indigenous peoples to
25
showcase best practices from Asia about how indigenous communities manage natural
resources to maintain their biocultural diversity and adapt to climate change without
losing their culture and identity. In Indonesia, Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara focuses
on the rehabilitation and conservation of the bamboo forest in Toraya‟s indigenous
territory through community-based management and establishing bamboo briquette and
souvenir production as an alternative livelihood for the indigenous peoples.
Another good practice is the involvement of indigenous peoples‟ organizations in
community dialogues to identify, plan and implement development programmes. A series
of community dialogues were conducted to draw out concrete examples of the
stewardship role that indigenous peoples play in responding to climate change and in
retaining their cultural and traditional landscapes. In 2007, Community Dialogue was
conducted in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
Papua Indigenous Peoples‟ Empowerment Programme (PIPE): Reducing poverty and
promoting peace and development in Papua and West Papua (ILO)
This project aimed at contributing to the overall development of the indigenous peoples
by helping them attain greater capacity and self-reliance in reducing poverty, promoting
gender equality and strengthening peace and development mechanisms in their villages
and communities.
The project capitalized on indigenous peoples‟ initiatives, traditional knowledge,
institutions and resources for poverty reduction, for sustaining peace and for promoting
village-level development. Experiences, best practices and lessons generated during the
project were documented to enable replication and to make improvements in pertinent
policies and programmes. In operationalizing the strategy, the project has employed a
community-driven participatory development (CDPD) approach. The impact at the
community level is reflected in increased awareness. Rather than acting as simply
spectators and beneficiaries of externally planned and administered development
programmes, indigenous communities now are aware that they can, through existing
institutions, initiate and manage their own development processes in partnership with
government and other service providers.
At the government level, the impact of project activities can be seen in the increasing
willingness of partner agencies in the government to support community-driven
participatory development initiatives, especially in relation to income and employment
generation. This is visible in the emergence of greater opportunities to adopt the
project‟s community-driven participatory development approach in implementing
programmes such as the National Community Empowerment Programme (Program
Nasional Pemberdayaan Masyarakat, or PNPM)20 and the Strategic Plan for Village
Development (Rencana Strategis Pembangunan Kampung, or RESPEK).
The Siberut Biosphere Reserve project of UNESCO
This project aims to promote conservation and sustainable management of Siberut‟s
natural resources through the active involvement of the local communities. A
collaborative partnership has been introduced, including UNESCO, the Indonesian
Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature
Conservation (PHKA) of the Ministry of Forestry, Conservation International Indonesia
Programme (CCIP) and indigenous communities. The Mentawaian communities, living
within the Siberut Biosphere Reserve, are some of the few remaining communities whose
20
The National Programme for Community Empowerment (PNPM) represents the Government‟s long-term
commitment to promote greater participation of the rural population in rural development, improved
governance and better poverty reduction programmes, and to develop a policy agenda for poverty reduction
and the institutional capacities required to support such an agenda. The programme targets poor and
disadvantaged communities including remote and isolated indigenous groups.
26
way of life is still primarily dependent on the traditional use of resources. The local
communities‟ customary environmental management systems ensure economic
continuity and contribute to the protection of the islands biological diversity. The goal is
to actively engage local communities in conservation efforts and develop alternative
livelihoods that generate income without sacrificing the resource base on which
traditional culture and biodiversity depend. The most important outcome is the longterm presence and commitment of local and capable conservationists and a small, young
generation of local people who understand the conservation agenda for Siberut.
9. Other information relevant for indigenous peoples’ development
In a public statement on 18 March 2009, the United Nations Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination strongly criticized Indonesia for failing to respect
indigenous peoples' rights in relation to oil palm plantations. Oil palm converts existing
forests into plantations, in part for the production of biofuels – a process that has
resulted in massive forest loss in Indonesia. The Committee also raised concerns about a
draft regulation on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
(REDD). This regulation envisages the government handing out forest concessions to
companies for the capture of carbon much as logging concessions have been handed out
in the past, and was proposed as a measure to mitigate climate change by reducing
pressure on forests.
The UN Committee, a body composed of 18 independent human rights experts chosen by
governments, explains that it remains concerned that oil palm plantations are the source
of numerous conflicts with local communities. It was especially concerned with respect to
Indonesia's failure to protect indigenous peoples' rights in connection with oil palm
concessions.
The Committee reiterated its August 2007 recommendation to Indonesia that oil palm
concessions must not violate the rights of indigenous peoples to own and control their
traditional lands and must not be issued without first obtaining the consent of the
affected indigenous peoples.
Indonesia‟s national indigenous peoples‟ organization, AMAN, welcomed the Committee‟s
statement as further evidence of the growing international concern about the situation of
indigenous peoples in Indonesia, particularly as it relates to their rights to own and
control their traditional territories. AMAN urged the Government of Indonesia to respond
by ensuring that it effectively implements the Committee‟s recommendations and by
providing accurate and timely reports to the Committee that show the actual situation on
the ground.
Indonesia's draft 2008 Regulation on Implementation Procedures for Reducing Emissions
from Deforestation and Forest Degradation was also criticized by the Committee for being
incompatible with the rights of indigenous peoples. The Committee recommended that
the draft regulation, as well as other laws, be reviewed and amended to ensure their
consistency with the rights of indigenous peoples to own and control their traditionallyowned territories and to consent to activities, such as REDD, that may affect them.
The Committee's statement was adopted pursuant to its early warning and urgent action
procedures, which are only used for the most serious and urgent cases. The urgency was
emphasized by the Committee when it asked Indonesia to report back to the Committee
no later than 31 July 2009. Indonesia has so far failed to respond to the Committee‟s
concerns about palm oil expansion along the Kalimantan border, which were first raised
by the Committee over a year ago.
Abdon Nababan, Secretary General of AMAN, called upon all government institutions to
support the implementation of Indonesia's constitutional responsibilities to recognize and
protect the rights of indigenous peoples, not only in Kalimantan‟s border areas, but
27
throughout Indonesia. “Since the rights of indigenous peoples is an important national
issue, not just as it relates to forests, it requires good will and strong efforts by the
various government institutions to work together to implement these rights,” Abdon said.
He also emphasized that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples should
be used as guidance for the Government in protecting indigenous peoples‟ rights and
called upon Indonesia to ensure that indigenous peoples fully participate in all decisionmaking that may affect them.
Abetnego Tarigan, Director of Sawit Watch, called on the Government of Indonesia to
stop all activities that are inconsistent with the UN Committee recommendations and to
urgently take immediate measures to end repressive actions against indigenous peoples
and local communities in handling any conflicts.
28
10. Bibliography and relevant links
Printed sources
AIWN, AMAN, Rights & Democracy. Potret Perempuan Adat Asia. The Asian Indigenous
Women‟s Network, Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara, International Centre for Human
Rights and Democratic Development, 2007.
AMAN. Rekomendasi dan Resolusi Kongres III Masyarakat Adat Nusantara [KMAN III] 20
Maret 2007, Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat. 2007.
Asian Development Bank. Indigenous Peoples/Ethnic Minorities and Poverty Reduction
Indonesia. Manila, Philippines. June 2002.
CERD (CERD/C/IDN/3) Concluding Observations/Comments, CERD/C/SR.1844, 17
August 2007.
Corpuz, Victoria Tauli, Indigenous peoples and the Millennium Development Goals. 2005.
ELSAM. Laporan Penegakan Hak Asasi Manusia Tahun 2005. 2005.
Fauzi, Noer. Memahami Gerakan-Gerakan Rakyat Pedesaan Dunia Ketiga. 2001.
Haroeputri, Arimbi. Penghancuran Secara Sistematis Sistem-sistem Adat oleh Kelompok
dominan. Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi)/Friends of the Earth (FoE)
Indonesia. 1997.
ICRAF, AMAN, FPP. Satu Yang Kami Tuntut: Pengakuan. World Agroforestry Centre
[ICRAF], AMAN, FPP, Bogor, Indonesia. 2003.
Kleden, Emil. Laporan Pertanggung-jawaban Tentang: Pelaksanaan Tugas dan Tanggung
Jawab Sebagai Sekretaris Pelaksana. Pontianak, 17 – 23 Maret 2007. 2007.
Moniaga, Sandra. Hak-hak Masyarakat Adat dan Masalah serta Kelestarian Lingkungan
Hidup di Indonesia. WACANA HAM, Media Pemajuan Hak Asasi Manusia, No. 10/Tahun
II/12 Juni 2002, Jakarta. 2002.
Moniaga, Sandra. Hak-hak Masyarakat Adat di Indonesia. Makalah Lokakarya Nasional IV
HAM 1998 diselenggarakan oleh Komnas HAM, Departemen Luar Negeri dan The
Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Jakarta, 1 – 3 Desember
1998. 1998.
Internet sources
All submissions and the responses by the Committee can be found at
www.forestpeoples.org
Information on UNDP RIPP
http://regionalcentrebangkok.undp.or.th/practices/governance/ripp/
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination‟s letter to Indonesia can be
found directly at:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/early_warning/Indonesia130309.pdf
IWGIA: Indonesia Country profile
http://www.iwgia.org/graphics/offentlig/pdf/Indonesia.pdf
29