Indonesia Urged to Pass Indigenous Peoples Bill to Protect Forests and Food Security

Bogor, MINA – On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Indonesia’s Indigenous Territory Registration Agency (BRWA) called for swift passage of the Indigenous Peoples Bill, warning that legal recognition is essential to protect natural resources, food security, and biodiversity.

BRWA head Kasmita Widodo said recognition is the foundation for safeguarding indigenous rights and crucial to achieving Indonesia’s “Golden Vision 2045.” He noted the government still lacks a reliable database of indigenous communities.

Of the 33.6 million hectares of mapped indigenous territories, only 18.9% have formal legal status. The rest, BRWA warned, remain vulnerable to industrial expansion and land conversion.

Coalition spokesperson Veni Siregar cited cumbersome procedures as a key barrier and urged lawmakers to accelerate deliberations. BRWA data shows that 4.9 million hectares of these lands support sustainable farming systems that preserve ecosystems.

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Rukka Sombolinggi, secretary-general of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), stressed that recognition is inseparable from protecting forests and local food systems. “Until our territories are recognized and protected, these threats will persist,” she said.

BRWA warned that delays risk losing tropical forests, undermining carbon reduction efforts, and eroding biodiversity amid worsening climate and land degradation crises.

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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