02-04-2025
GLOBAL INDIGENOUS: Fighting seizures of Indigenous land in Indonesia
Deusdedit RuhangariyoSpecial to ICT
Around the world: Indigenous Indonesians demand an end to government land grabs, British Columbia opens new beds for Indigenous women's addiction and mental health, Queensland to build 2032 Olympics stadium on sacred Indigenous land, and Greenland reggae band Sauwestari to perform at Alianait Festival.
Hundreds of Indigenous Indonesians and civil groups demand an end to violence, rights violations, and land seizures for government projects, Mongabay reported on March 26.
In mid-March, over 250 Indigenous and local community members affected by Indonesia's National Strategic Projects gathered in Merauke, Papua, to share their experiences of displacement, violence and loss of rights. The projects, including roads, dams, plantations and industrial sites, have uprooted communities, often without consent or adequate compensation.
The Agrarian Reform Consortium reported 154 National Strategic Projects-related conflicts between 2020 and 2024, impacting 103,000 families and 1 million hectares of land. Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) received 114 complaints in the same period, citing forced evictions, labor abuses, environmental destruction, and attacks on journalists.
On March 14, the attendees, facilitated by the NGO Pusaka, issued the "Merauke solidarity declaration," calling for the termination of National Strategic Projects projects. 'We demand the complete cessation of National Strategic Projects that sacrifice the people,' the declaration stated. Pusaka director Franky Samperante called it the beginning of stronger resistance.
The National Strategic Projects framework, introduced under former president Joko Widodo (2014-2024), enabled the government to seize land for development. His successor, Prabowo Subianto, expanded the program, adding 29 new projects focused on food, energy and mining. Critics argue that National Strategic Projects primarily benefits corporations while fast-tracking approvals and bypassing regulatory safeguards.
In Merauke, agribusiness giants have made vast concessions for a food estate project, clearing millions of hectares for rice and sugarcane. Indigenous Papuans, who were not properly consulted, fear for their safety due to military presence and community pressure to sell their land.
Vincen Kwipalo, a 67-year-old Indigenous leader, has resisted selling his clan's land. 'We are not selling our customary land. We want to manage it ourselves,' he said. His family has faced intimidation, including machete-wielding attackers threatening him for refusing to sell. His wife, Alowisia Kwerkujai, emphasized, 'This land is for our children and grandchildren.'
By January 2025, thousands of hectares of forest had been cleared for the sugarcane and rice projects, despite government claims that no forests were being destroyed. The country's energy minister dismissed concerns, saying the area had only 'eucalyptus, swamps, and savannas.' However, spatial analysis revealed the destruction of the biodiverse Melaleuca swamp forests, which store significant carbon and sustain local ecosystems.
During the dialogue, Vincen directly challenged government officials, asking, 'Sir, can you guarantee my safety if I get killed in the forest?' He also made a plea to President Prabowo: 'You see the development, but not that we, Indigenous people, are being forced into conflict – into bloodshed.'
Despite growing evidence of rights violations, officials offered no concrete solutions. Experts warn that unchecked National Strategic Projects projects could spark unprecedented social and ecological crises. The Merauke declaration warned of an impending 'socioecological chaos' if Indigenous voices continue to be ignored.
The British Columbia Health Minister, Aboriginal Housing Management Association, and Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association have announced new complex-care housing beds for Indigenous women in Surrey.
The 10-bedroom home, operated by the Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association, will offer 24-hour staffing, medical support, harm reduction, and culturally relevant services. It aims to support women struggling with substance use and mental health challenges by connecting them to counseling and primary care.
"We need to stop closing doors and finding a way to open them," said Kyla Painter, Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre Association's executive director.
She highlighted the importance of round-the-clock staffing, ensuring women can access care whenever needed. "The 24/7 staffing, medical support, and primary care is a really exciting and new way of addressing the homeless crisis and supporting people where they're at," she said.
Women in the program can stay as long as needed and will have opportunities to reconnect with Indigenous cultural traditions. "We're offering an opportunity to get out and engage in ceremony and to understand their identities and … to connect to their cultural roots," Painter explained.
Family reunification is also a priority, helping women reconnect with children or estranged relatives.
The 2023 Metro Vancouver homeless count found that 33 percent of homeless individuals identified as Indigenous. Among them, 34 percent were women, compared to 25 percent of non-Indigenous homeless individuals.
Aboriginal Housing Management Association CEO Margaret Pfoh stressed the need for Indigenous-led care to address barriers in the health-care system. "Indigenous people have many, many real and perceived barriers to adequate health care, just at a base standard," she said. "Never mind adding in the fact that they might be dealing with addiction, or they might be dealing with brain traumas."
She added that her organization had long envisioned such a program. "[It] gives a safe place for people to rest, allows them to actually take a few moments to take care of themselves before they can address whether it's addictions, alcohol, brain injury, or other compounding issues," she said.
British Columbia's Ministry of Health will provide $1.8 million annually for operations. "Far too many Indigenous peoples, particularly women, are facing significant barriers to stable housing and care," said Health Minister Josie Osborne.
The province allocated $430 million to expand complex-care housing, with an additional 20 beds planned for Surrey. "What's unique about this place is that it's specifically for Indigenous women and Indigenous-led," Osborne said.
The new beds are expected to be available in mid-April.
The Queensland government's decision to build the 2032 Olympics stadium on Victoria Park, a site of deep Indigenous significance in central Brisbane, has sparked controversy and protests, National Indigenous Television reported on March 26.
The $3.8 billion stadium will accommodate 63,000 spectators, but critics argue the development will destroy vital green space and disrespect the area's cultural heritage.
Victoria Park, traditionally known as Barrambin, was historically a gathering site for the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples and contains sacred sites, including a Bora ground and a bunyip waterhole. Archaeological evidence, such as stone flints and oyster shells, has been uncovered throughout the park.
Yuggera woman Aunty Deb Sandy voiced her concerns, emphasizing the land's deep cultural ties. "It's almost like our history doesn't matter," she said. She described the area as home to many Indigenous people, stressing that development would erase its historical and spiritual significance.
Historian Dr. Ray Kerkhove, who has extensively studied Victoria Park, highlights its value as one of the region's most culturally significant sites.
Premier David Crisafulli, who previously ruled out Victoria Park as a stadium location during his election campaign, has now approved the project. The announcement has led to a backlash, with groups like Save Victoria Park organizing protests and considering legal action.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, who once supported preserving the park as a public space in 2020, now endorses the stadium plan despite previously acknowledging its Indigenous heritage. His shift has intensified public outcry.
Victoria Park's history spans centuries. In the 19th century, it housed up to 1,500 Indigenous people before forced removals sent them to missions. Many later returned in the 20th century when restrictions eased.
Aunty Deb Sandy, whose family has long ties to the area, emphasized why the site remains crucial. "It's home," she said", according to National Indigenous Times
The Alianait Arts Festival, an annual cultural event in Arctic Canada, recently announced its 2025 dates as June 19-22. Eye on the Arctic reported on March 28.
'We dreamed of hosting this band in Iqaluit since we heard their first single,' said Co-Executive Director Andrew Morrison, according to Eye on the Arctic.
'This is exactly in line with our vision for Alianait – world-class Inuit performers inspiring, collaborating, and sharing their energy and passion. It is contagious, and I have no doubt they'll inspire a new generation of music lovers at Alianait.'
Held annually in Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut, the festival will take place during the summer solstice weekend and coincide with National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21.
Co-Executive Director Jaqqa Petersen emphasized the festival's growing commitment to Inuit representation, not only on stage but also behind the scenes in areas like production, lighting, sound, photography, and stage management.
'We are working hard to create collaborations with different organizations in Iqaluit and across Nunavut to increase Inuit influence on all aspects of the festival,' Petersen said, according to Eye on the Arctic. 'This includes organizing our Inuit Excellence Program, where professional Inuit producers and technical directors train the next generation of young Inuit in Nunavut.'
More details on the festival lineup will be shared on the Alianait website and social media in the coming weeks.
For over twenty years, Alianait has showcased artists from across the Arctic, welcoming both rising talents and established performers.
My final thoughts are in Indonesia where the Indonesian government's National Strategic Projects have systematically dispossessed Indigenous communities, violating their rights and devastating their lands. Under the guise of economic growth, these projects have forcibly evicted families, enabled violence, and destroyed vital ecosystems.
The state's use of eminent domain to seize customary lands, often without proper consultation or compensation, is a blatant disregard for human rights and justice. No development should come at the cost of people's dignity, safety and survival.
These projects must be stopped immediately to prevent further displacement, social conflict, and environmental destruction. The government's continued expansion of National Strategic Projects, despite widespread reports of rights abuses, reflects a dangerous prioritization of corporate profits over human lives.
Ignoring the voices of affected communities will only deepen resentment, escalate tensions, and fuel long-term instability. Infrastructure and economic policies should serve the people, not exploit them.
A just and sustainable way forward requires full recognition of Indigenous land rights and the immediate cessation of forced evictions. Development must be community-led, respecting traditional land stewardship and ensuring proper consultation and consent.
The government should redirect resources toward empowering local economies, supporting small-scale agriculture, and investing in renewable energy projects that do not displace communities or degrade ecosystems.
True progress is not measured by the number of highways, plantations, or industrial zones but by the well-being of the people. The Indonesian government must choose justice over greed, sustainability over destruction, and inclusion over oppression.
Only by prioritizing human rights and environmental protection can Indonesia build a future that benefits all its people, not just the privileged few.
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