Acceleration of Recognition and Protection of the Balai Juhu Indigenous Community in Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency

Balai Juhu is an Indigenous Peoples community in the Meratus Mountains area, Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency, South Kalimantan. The Meratus Mountains stretch across nine regencies in South Kalimantan Province and are home to various Indigenous Peoples communities that depend on the forest for their livelihoods. Customary forests for the Indigenous Peoples in Meratus are a source of livelihood that supports their daily lives. Forests are also a source of natural wealth and biodiversity that are always cared for and maintained because forests are a legacy for future generations. 

The Indigenous Peoples of Balai Juhu have for generations relied on forest products and sustainable gardening, realizing that the balance of nature is the key to their survival. However, the state policy that designates most of the indigenous areas as state forest areas, including protected forests, has reduced their living space. In the midst of this policy, the Indigenous Peoples in Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency have not had legal protection and recognition from the government. As a result, access to land and resources is increasingly limited, complicating the lives of the Meratus Indigenous Peoples.

In Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency, efforts to gain legal recognition continue to be fought for. Since 2019, the Regent's Decree on the Committee for the Recognition and Protection of Indigenous Peoples has been issued, but until now there has been no clear point for its follow-up. 

To accelerate the process of protection and recognition of Indigenous Peoples in Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency, the Balai Juhu Indigenous Peoples together with the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) Hulu Sungai Tengah formed a small team involving various parties, including traditional leaders, traditional community organizations at the district and provincial levels, and village and sub-district government officials. This step aims to encourage local governments to immediately ratify regulations that protect their rights.

A number of efforts have been made, starting from communicating with elected DPRD members, making agreements with regional head candidates to commit to ratifying the Regional Regulation (Perda) on the Recognition and Protection of Indigenous Peoples if elected, to submitting the draft Perda and academic paper to the leadership of the Hulu Sungai Tengah Regency DPRD.

This initiative is a promising step in fighting for the rights of the Meratus indigenous people, ensuring that they receive legal protection for the land and forests that they have managed for generations. However, this struggle is still long, encouragement and support from various parties are still needed so that recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples can be realized soon.