JAKARTA: Indigenous organizations in Indonesia have warned that industrial expansion continues to displace indigenous communities at an alarming scale. A recent report documented that over the past decade, more than 11.7 million hectares of customary lands have been taken over, primarily due to mining, logging, oil and gas, geothermal projects, and other extractive activities. The report, compiled by the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities (GATC), regional federations and Earth Insight, notes that Indonesia’s Indigenous territories cover around 33.6 million hectares, rich in biodiversity and carbon-sequestering landscapes, yet only a small fraction has formal recognition. Data from Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency suggests that less than 1 percent of more than 25 million hectares of Indigenous lands have legal acknowledgment, while palm oil, forestry, and mining concessions occupy tens of millions of hectares. The study highlighted communities such as the O’Hongana Manyawa, a nomadic forest group on Halmahera, whose lands of over 65,000 hectares have been encroached upon by at least 19 mining operators. AMAN Secretary-General Rukka Sombolinggi stressed, “Sustainability can only be achieved through the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples.” Despite the challenges, the report also notes recent victories: on Flores Island, the Gendang Ngkiong community gained recognition for 892 hectares of customary land through participatory mapping, while the Ompu Umbak Siallagan community in North Sumatra secured legal acknowledgment after decades of conflict with pulp concessions. The findings come ahead of COP30 in Brazil, where Indigenous coalitions are expected to push for embedding land rights recognition, defender protections, and direct financing for Indigenous communities into global climate policy. GATC Executive Secretary Juan Carlos Jintiach said, “The world has a viable roadmap toward regeneration, but only if Indigenous stewardship is fully recognized and financed.”
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