Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week, Bridging the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Posting Date
The Ma'Randing dance performed by the Tindoki group initiated the opening of the Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week in Cipta II Gallery, Taman Ismail Marzuki in Jakarta on Friday, 29 August 2014. The event initiated by the Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) was part of the celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August 2014.
This International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples has been celebrated since 1995, and this year's theme is “Bridging the Gap: Carrying Out the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This theme is a symbol of the commitment of UN member countries to recognize and fulfill the rights of indigenous peoples.
For the indigenous peoples of the nation, the theme of this celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is fitting to the current situation in Indonesia. In the past several years, the relationship between indigenous peoples and the government has undergone encouraging advances,†stated Abdon Nababan, AMAN's Secretary General.
This is marked by the issuance of a number of Laws that recognize the rights of indigenous peoples, such as Law No. 27/2007 on Coastal Areas and Small Islands and Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management. The climactic point was on 16 May 2013 when the Constitutional Court issued Decision Letter No. 35/PUU-X/2013 concerning Forestry Law No. 41/1999, which declares that customary forest is not state forest.
According to Abdon, AMAN has changed the state's viewpoint of indigenous peoples since 2007. This is marked by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attendance in the celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, in which he stated his concerns and initiated to have one law concerning indigenous peoples. Currently the Draft of Law concerning Recognition and Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is in its last stage of discussion by the People's Representatives Council (DPR).
We are still fighting in DPR because there are three points in the Draft that are not agreed upon by the indigenous peoples. First there must be an independent and permanent national commission. The draft currently only includes an ad hoc committee. We are not convinced that indigenous peoples' issues can be managed by an ad hoc committee, because we are talking about problems piling high due after 69 years of indigenous peoples being marginalized, Abdon added.
Second is the issue of indigenous peoples' criteria or requirements, which needs simplification. If the indigenous territory is clear, the indigenous peoples are clear, then that is sufficient. Third, there should not be any other indigenous organization formed by the central or local government, because indigenous peoples already have their own customary organization.
Although these developments are promising, there are still obstacles that create a gap between international instruments and national policies on indigenous peoples, along with their community-level implementation. There are a number of ongoing conflicts that the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is conducting a National Inquiry of indigenous peoples' conflicts in forest areas.
Meanwhile, the UN's Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli Corpuz, states her appreciation of this event. Such event provides a great contribution for indigenous peoples, not only those in Indonesia but throughout the world.
AMAN provides a good example of indigenous organization for the world. AMAN is not separated by religion or culture. They are one and I hope it is continued to be maintained, Victoria said in her welcoming speech in Jakarta, Friday (29/08).
As a UN Special Rapporteur, Victoria emphasizes her duties as a representative in the UN is to protect and fight for the rights of the world's indigenous peoples, checking governments in their implementation of indigenous peoples' laws and human rights in many countries.
Related to the Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week, AMAN would like to share with the public the wealth of cultural and traditional arts of the nation's indigenous peoples. This Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week also involved various well known contemporary artists such as Taring Padi, Yayat Atmaka, Alit Ambara, and many others. The performances included music and dance, photography exhibition on indigenous peoples, and documentary films showing and discussion.
Through this event, AMAN wants to build public empathy and participation of Indonesian artists to contribute to the promotion of the wealth of the nation's indigenous peoples. The Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week ended in the Office of the Indonesian Vice President on Monday, 1 September 2014 for the launching of the National Program for the Recognition and Protection of Customary Communities through REDD+.
This International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples has been celebrated since 1995, and this year's theme is “Bridging the Gap: Carrying Out the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This theme is a symbol of the commitment of UN member countries to recognize and fulfill the rights of indigenous peoples.
For the indigenous peoples of the nation, the theme of this celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is fitting to the current situation in Indonesia. In the past several years, the relationship between indigenous peoples and the government has undergone encouraging advances,†stated Abdon Nababan, AMAN's Secretary General.
This is marked by the issuance of a number of Laws that recognize the rights of indigenous peoples, such as Law No. 27/2007 on Coastal Areas and Small Islands and Law No. 32/2009 on Environmental Protection and Management. The climactic point was on 16 May 2013 when the Constitutional Court issued Decision Letter No. 35/PUU-X/2013 concerning Forestry Law No. 41/1999, which declares that customary forest is not state forest.
According to Abdon, AMAN has changed the state's viewpoint of indigenous peoples since 2007. This is marked by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's attendance in the celebration of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, in which he stated his concerns and initiated to have one law concerning indigenous peoples. Currently the Draft of Law concerning Recognition and Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is in its last stage of discussion by the People's Representatives Council (DPR).
We are still fighting in DPR because there are three points in the Draft that are not agreed upon by the indigenous peoples. First there must be an independent and permanent national commission. The draft currently only includes an ad hoc committee. We are not convinced that indigenous peoples' issues can be managed by an ad hoc committee, because we are talking about problems piling high due after 69 years of indigenous peoples being marginalized, Abdon added.
Second is the issue of indigenous peoples' criteria or requirements, which needs simplification. If the indigenous territory is clear, the indigenous peoples are clear, then that is sufficient. Third, there should not be any other indigenous organization formed by the central or local government, because indigenous peoples already have their own customary organization.
Although these developments are promising, there are still obstacles that create a gap between international instruments and national policies on indigenous peoples, along with their community-level implementation. There are a number of ongoing conflicts that the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is conducting a National Inquiry of indigenous peoples' conflicts in forest areas.
Meanwhile, the UN's Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples, Victoria Tauli Corpuz, states her appreciation of this event. Such event provides a great contribution for indigenous peoples, not only those in Indonesia but throughout the world.
AMAN provides a good example of indigenous organization for the world. AMAN is not separated by religion or culture. They are one and I hope it is continued to be maintained, Victoria said in her welcoming speech in Jakarta, Friday (29/08).
As a UN Special Rapporteur, Victoria emphasizes her duties as a representative in the UN is to protect and fight for the rights of the world's indigenous peoples, checking governments in their implementation of indigenous peoples' laws and human rights in many countries.
Related to the Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week, AMAN would like to share with the public the wealth of cultural and traditional arts of the nation's indigenous peoples. This Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week also involved various well known contemporary artists such as Taring Padi, Yayat Atmaka, Alit Ambara, and many others. The performances included music and dance, photography exhibition on indigenous peoples, and documentary films showing and discussion.
Through this event, AMAN wants to build public empathy and participation of Indonesian artists to contribute to the promotion of the wealth of the nation's indigenous peoples. The Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago Week ended in the Office of the Indonesian Vice President on Monday, 1 September 2014 for the launching of the National Program for the Recognition and Protection of Customary Communities through REDD+.
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