Jakarta, 23/09/2015 – Since the Congress of the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago I (KMAN I) was in Jakarta in 1999, the voices of united indigenous women have been echoed. The workshop entitled, “Suing the Position of Indigenous Women over Indigenous Peoples and the State” was held at the same time with the KMAN I event was. In the events, there was a woman who named Yoseph Alomang or known as Mama Yosepha. She was a figure behind the resistance of the Amungme Tribe to PT Freeport exploitation in Papua.
Mama Yosepha and Nai Sinta Boru Sibarani, a figure behind the refusal of taking the customary land of Sugapa residents done by PT Inti Indorayon Utama (PT TPL), gave testimonies which were inspiration and spirit for indigenous women.
Although the First Indigenous Women’s National Meeting and KMAN IV could only be held in the same time in Tobelo in 2012, the movement of the struggle of indigenous women continued to grow. The struggle to defend indigenous territories in various regions, being led by mothers (women), continues to emerge such as Mama Aleta Baun in Mollo NTT, Ms. Mardiana in Barito Kalteng, Ms. Gunarti in Rembang and other indigenous fighters.
In a press conference at AMAN House in Tebet Timur (9/23/2015), there was announcement that the National Indigenous Women’s Meeting II would take place at Bumi Gumati on the upcoming 27-29/9/2015. Mina Susana Setra, Deputy Secretary General of AMAN for Institutional Affairs, said, “We will not only discuss about the organizational structure, but we will also discuss how indigenous women respond to the policy of the developments of the Indonesian government that affect them as women through direct or indirect issues.”
“The most important thing is to discuss how women are involved in decision-making both at the custom level and government one,” Mina explained.
OKK Director AMAN, Eustobio Renggi said that there were several themes for the National Gathering. They are “Women and Natural Resources”, Position of Indigenous Women on Religion and Ancestral Trust, Indigenous Women’s Leadership, Role of Indigenous Women, Indigenous Peoples and the State. Eustobio added, “How to ensure the role of indigenous women in the PPHMA rules and the role of indigenous women in the implementation of MK 35 Decision.”
On a separate occasion, Devi Anggraini, the Chairperson of the 2015 Indigenous Women’s Archipelago National Meeting Committee, said that there were a number of things to be achieved during the National Indigenous Women’s Conference’s activities. One of them: it becomes a place for indigenous women to understand the function of the organization and to strengthen the indigenous women’s position in stating the interests of indigenous women in various levels relating to the control and management of natural resources.
Increasing the capacity of indigenous women to understand specific issues affects the interests and the needs of indigenous women which it uses a fundamental human rights framework as women and humans. Mapping the indigenous women’s understanding of knowledge and authority is over their living space and natural resource management.
Devi Anggraini also hopes that National Conference II will produce new management of the best mobilizing cadres of PEREMPUAN AMAN that will lead the forward organization. The Managers who have the agilities to break through the challenge of voicing PEREMPUAN AMAN’s attitudes and views regarding human rights as women, they get the inherent rights as indigenous women in their communities in various arenas.
“I hope it is not only a forum for consolidation but it also produces the priority of working programs and strategies for empowering indigenous women towards sovereign independence through knowledge and management of natural resources,” Devi Anggarini added.
The National meeting of the Archipelago Indigenous Women will be attended by 200 participants and observers, supported by many parties and institutions, including Komnas Perempuan, Kemitraan, and the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment. JLG
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