National inquiry highlights violations against indigenous peoples

Indonesia's indigenous peoples have suffered a long history of human rights violations says a major report to be released in May by the National Commission on Human Rights.

"We are finding violations of the right to property, to life, to a fair trial, to feel safe, to an adequate standard of living," said Commission member Sandra Moniaga, who has helped lead the national inquiry on the violations of indigenous peoples' rights within forest zones.

Moniaga was speaking at a press briefing organised by the Indigenous Peoples' Alliance of The Archipelago.

The Commission's report will compile the findings of several months of inquires held in Sumatra, Java, Bali-Nusa, Sulawesi, Kalimantan, Maluku and Papua.

As part of the inquiry process, investigators looked into the root causes of indigenous human rights violations by examining in details around 40 cases reported to the Commission.

"We are seeing a lack of legal certainty for the recognition of indigenous peoples in Indonesia," said Moniaga.

"There is no effort being made to designate the boundaries of their territories on official maps and documents; they face legal obstacles in their efforts to claim legitimacy; indigenous women face discrimination on multiple levels; government agencies (including the police) and the military have been working for the private sector, and not for the indigenous communities," she said.

Moniaga also noted that there was no ministerial level institution with the mandate to resolve the prolonged land conflicts.

Date: 18 March 2015

Source: Mongabay.com