Indigenous Peoples

Pak Keuchik Jailani

Down to Earth No 64 2005

The well-known indigenous and environmental activist, Keuchik Jailani, was one of the victims of the quake-tsunami in Aceh. He did not come from a privileged background and had little formal education. He always described himself as an ordinary farmer. But Pak Keuchik - as he was always known - was not an ordinary man. He was a community leader who was chosen to be village head of Riseh Sawang and customary leader because he was an honest, hard-working, principled man who was a skilled negotiator and not afraid to speak out.

Bestari Raden sentenced

Down to Earth No 63 November 2004

Bestari Raden, indigenous activist and environmental campaigner, has been sentenced to two years and six months imprisonment. The verdict, handed down in October, found Bestari not guilty of part of the main charge of 'rebellion', but guilty of threatening state security and incitement.

Bestari Raden was arrested by military personnel from Southeast Aceh district command in March 2004.

Melayu farmers' long struggle for land rights

Down to Earth No 63 November 2004

The North Sumatran organisation of peasant farmers, BPRPI, is engaged in one of Indonesia's longest running land disputes.

Ladia Galaska road network: construction continues, controversy rages

Down to Earth No 62 August 2004

NGOs have stepped up their campaign to halt construction of the Ladia Galaska road project which cuts through the Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh - one of world's richest areas of tropical rainforest.

Floods hit four districts in Aceh on May 7-8, in the western area downstream of the Ladia Galaska road project, leaving one person dead, sweeping away four houses and forcing thousands to leave their flooded homes.

Indigenous activist arrested

Down to Earth No 61 May 2004

Bestari Raden, a well-known environmentalist and indigenous activist, was arrested by the military in Aceh in March, while on a government mission to review the controversial Ladia Galaska road scheme.

Military personnel from the 0108 Southeast Aceh District Command (Kodim) arrested Bestari Raden on March 23rd. After being held at the military command in Kutacane, where he was interrogated by the command's intelligence chief, Bestari was handed over to the Southeast Aceh police at Tapak Tuan.

Forests in transition

Down to Earth No 61 May 2004

A recent visit by DTE staff to South Sumatra illustrates the realities of Indonesia's deforestation and the tensions between local communities and the authorities over the use of 'forest lands' in a rapidly changing environment

"Why are you going to South Sumatra to find out about sustainable forest use? There is no forest there!", said people in Jakarta. Even in the provincial capital, Palembang, staff at the South Sumatra branch of the environmental NGO WALHI were gloomy.