On 16 May, 2013, the Indonesian Constitutional Court issued a decision confirming that Customary Forests are forests located in Indigenous territories, and should no longer be considered as State Forests.
Indigenous Peoples throughout Indonesia welcomed the Constitutional Court's decision and started rehabilitating their territories which have been damaged by the activities of companies who were given licenses to operate by the State.
It has been few months since the Constitutional Court's decision. However, up until now there has been no attempt by the government to implement this decision.
Thus, it will be a long and difficult process before Indigenous Peoples have and manage their own forests. Meanwhile, the State continues to give large tracts of forest areas to companies, meaning forest conversions for industrial activities are increasingly widespread. Thus, justice for Indigenous Peoples is continuously ignored by the State.
Indigenous Peoples have launched a petition to push the Government of RI to implement the Constitutional Court on Customary Forest and immediately adopt the Bill on Indigenous Peoples!
Sign on this petition and help to spread over to others. http://www.change.org/id/petisi/indonesia-government-implement-the-constitutional-court-s-decision-no-35-puu-x-2012-and-immediately-adopt-the-bill-on-indigenous-peoples
