REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Alliance of Peoples Adat Nusantara (AMAN) asked DPR RI to immediately pass the Draft Law on Indigenous Peoples into law. This measure is considered important to protect and recognize the rights of indigenous people in Indonesia.
“If we're talking about indigenous people, we're actually talking about national identity. We are not a uniform country, we are diverse and the mark is on indigenous people,” said AMAN Director of Advocacy for Policy, Law, and Human Rights Muhammad Arman during a media discussion in Jakarta, Tuesday (17/12/2024).
Furthermore, Arman explained that there are three main foundations that underlie the importance of the adoption of the Indigenous Peoples Bill, namely the philosophical, sociological, and juridical foundations. Philosophically, he said, indigenous peoples reflect diverse nationalities identities. “Indigenous people are markers of diversity that need to be respected,” he said.
Sociologically, AMAN data notes that there are 2,896 indigenous communities in Indonesia that continue to experience social change. However, they are often marginalized in the management of natural resources and the recognition of indigenous territories.
Finally, from a juridical point of view, the NRI 1945 Constitution provides for the protection of indigenous peoples in a number of articles, among them Article 18B paragraph (2). The article mentions that the state recognizes and respects the unity of the customary law society and its traditional rights as long as it lives and in accordance with the development of society and the principles of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.
Then, there is Article 28I paragraph (3) of the NRI 1945 Constitution, which states that cultural identity and traditional community rights are respected in harmony with the development of times and civilizations. Furthermore, Article 32 (1) of the NRI 1945 Constitution states that the state promotes the national culture of Indonesia in the midst of world civilization by guaranteeing the freedom of society in maintaining and developing its cultural values.
“The ruling of the Constitutional Court (MK) also confirms the importance of the presence of special legislation to resolve the agrarian conflicts experienced by indigenous peoples,” Arman said.
Thus, she hopes that Parliament will immediately prioritize the discussion and approval of the Indigenous Peoples Bill so that the rights of indigenous people in Indonesia can be legally protected.
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