Sovereignty, Dignity, Prosperity
Indigenous peoples and their supporters in Indonesia have been engaged in a struggle to restore a sense of dignity and improve the lives of indigenous peoples in Indonesia, in order to enable access to their fundamental rights.
The Indigenous Peoples’ movement in Indonesia is coordinated by AMAN which seeks sovereignty over territory, dignity in culture and prosperity in their economic life. AMAN organises indigenous activists to engage in collective actions towards structural change to the decision-making process from the community, up to the international level.
To enable this AMAN has formed 16 Regional Chapters (provincial level) and 29 Local Chapters (district level) throughout Indonesia.
We will not recognise the state if it does not recognise us
AMAN and the national indigenous peoples’ movement were born out of the first AMAN Congress, which took place from March 14th-22nd 2009 at Hotel Indonesia in Jakarta. The Congress theme, "Challenging the position of Indigenous Peoples vis-à-vis the State" was backed up by the famous statement issued by indigenous peoples’ at the Congress – “we will not recognise the state if it does not recognise us.”
The formation of AMAN was a significant step forward in indigenous peoples' struggle for the recognition of their rights in Indonesia. The term 'archipelago' rather than 'Indonesia' in AMAN's title reflects indigenous peoples' desire for greater autonomy and self-determination.
Throughout Indonesia Indigenous Peoples are engaged in a struggle to ensure that they can live in sovereignty, dignity and prosperity.
Sovereignty
Indigenous Peoples are struggling for sovereignty over their ancestral territories and the right to decide what development suits them.
Dignity
Indigenous Peoples are struggling for the right to live in dignity, according to their own cultures, religions and traditions.
Prosperity
Indigenous Peoples seek to live a life where they can draw on the rich natural resources of their environment to live a life with is prosperous.
Indigenous Peoples and Politics
The position and role of Indigenous Peoples in the political life of the nation is very important, as it:
- Builds genuine autonomy rooted in local political culture and traditional wisdom
- Implements participatory democracy in shared decision-making at the community level
- Fosters political courage of local leaders to "seize" the political rights of Indigenous communities to develop joint agreements among indigenous peoples related to "positioning of Indigenous Peoples of the state, capital and new values.
Indigenous communities are strengthening their institutions and developing alliances with eachother to act as as a forum for organising political participation to push for changes to natural resource policies in Indonesia – from those based on exploitation and profit to those based on principles of justice and sustainability.
Despite its weaknesses, decentralisation in Indonesia has paved the way for the political participation of Indigenous Peoples and local people to determine policies and natural resource management in ways which are equitable and sustainable.
The autonomy of Indigenous communities at a grass-roots level (which is called the "village" or other names according to local cultures), regulated by Law No. 22 of 1999, plays a particularly important role in this process.
Indonesian politics are becoming more democratic and provide an opportunity to strengthen peoples’ organisations (Indigenous Peoples, farmers, fishermen and women) at various levels. This is part of the wider consolidation of civil society movements which are strengthening their position in the political life of the nation.
Political leadership at the community level helps to strengthen Indigenous Peoples themselves to lead change at a broader level, especially at the district level, enabling them to reenter the advocacy arena at the provincial, national and international level.
