Forest Power, Sovereignty of Life: Maintaining the Sovereignty of the Ompu Bolus Simanjuntak Customary Territory

The Indigenous Community of Ompu Umbak Siallagan – Dolok Parmonangan Descendants in Pondok Buluh Village, Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra, has inhabited their customary territory for 11 generations or around 300 years. They continue to fight to defend their customary territory from unilateral claims by companies. The Huta Aek Napa customary territory, which has been their source of life, is included in the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) concession covering an area of ​​269.090 hectares.

In 2011, the permit was revised to 167.000 hectares for the Timber Forest Product Utilization Business (IUPHHK) in Natural Forests. Of the total 815 hectares of the “Tombak Raja” customary forest, which since Indonesian independence has functioned as a protected forest and water provider, 500 hectares overlapped with the concession area and were turned into industrial forests for the company's raw materials. This overlap triggered conflict, including criminalization of Indigenous Peoples accused of occupying the concession forest. In fact, the Indigenous Peoples of the Ompu Umbak Siallagan Descendants have long had their own customary laws in managing the “Tombak Raja” protected forest as a source of life.

According to PW records AMAN Tano Batak, they are the descendants of King Ompu Umbak Siallagan who has occupied this area since the 1700s—long before the company or even the republic was born. Unilateral claims to the concession area were also rejected by the Indigenous People, because they consider this area as part of their identity that must be protected. Losing access to the forest also has an impact on their economy, considering that the forest is their main source of livelihood.

With the support of the Nusantara Fund Direct Funding, the Ompu Bolus Simanjuntak Indigenous Community designed a strategy for rehabilitating its customary area. This is their response to the threat of industrial forest monoculture in the Ompu Umbak Siallagan customary forest. The rehabilitation effort began with the construction of a 5×10 meter nursery to accommodate and prepare seedlings until they are strong enough to be planted.

After the seedlings were ready to plant, as many as 17.000 coffee seedlings, 620 candlenut seedlings, 180 jengkol seedlings, 20 durian seedlings, 150 petai seedlings, as well as a number of clove, cinnamon, jengkol, and soursop seedlings were planted in around 20 hectares or 10% of the total customary area. For food security, they have also prepared 300 kg of dryland rice seedlings and 4,5 kg of red bean seedlings. In addition to rehabilitating critical land due to monoculture exploitation, this effort also opens up economic opportunities. The direct benefits were felt by 212 community members (96 women and 116 men) and had an indirect impact on at least 2.000 people.

In addition to reforestation efforts, the Indigenous Peoples also gained new skills in making solid compost. After the training, they have produced 2,5 tons of fertilizer used for coffee seedlings. They also increased their capacity in participatory mapping using GPS, producing maps of indigenous territories and land distribution of community members. This program strengthens indigenous organizations, rebuilds the spirit of mutual cooperation, and increases collective awareness in building sovereignty and independence.

Not only that, this program also encourages the courage of Indigenous Community members to voice their opinions and ideas. Their network is getting wider, strengthening relations with the Village Government, District Government, other organizations, and the surrounding community. With these steps, the Indigenous Community of Ompu Umbak Siallagan – Dolok Parmonangan Descendants restores the ecological function of the customary forest while gradually returning the power of the customary forest to their hands.