Newsletter articles

Down to Earth No.78, August 2008

Posthumous award for indigenous leader

Bapak Raja J.P. Rahail, an indigenous leader from the Kei islands in eastern Indonesia was posthmously awarded the Asia Indigenous Peoples Prize at a meeting of Asian indigenous groups in July. He was praised for his role in strengthening indigenous institutions and for his handling of conflict in the area.

Down to Earth No. 76-77 May 2008

This report is based on information from a field visit by DTE staff to Meratus in 2008, and from the South Kalimantan based NGO, LPMA

For indigenous peoples like the Meratus Dayak of South Kalimantan, farming is not only a means to obtain food, but also forms part of the customary (adat) rituals that have been passed down the generations.

Down to Earth No. 74, August 2007

Indonesia's forestry department is allocating millions of hectares of land to a new scheme aimed at increasing the supply for wood for the pulp and timber industries, as well as tackling poverty. But serious flaws with the 'peoples plantations' programme are raising concerns that the scheme could do more harm than good.

Indonesia's forestry department announced target figures for 'Peoples Plantations' (Hutan Tanaman Rakyat - HTR) in February this year.