Learning More About Customary Village; Community and Government Leader from Jayapura visits Bali

Government of Jayapura district is keep in their pathway to sharpening the implementation of customary villages regulation (District Regulation No 08 of 2013). The regulation was aimed to reviving the values and governance of customary community in Jayapura. About 4 villages have been inaugurated as the pilot of customary villages implementation since last year and be prioritizing to test how the customary governance, rights/asset protects and all social development at village level could works with the original community systems and inline with current government regulation.

Understanding that they are in the initial steps, about 32 people consist of Customary Community Leader, Government officers and Community Facilitator (NGO) visited Bali and learned about how Balinese kept their customary values as the main foundation in the governmental and economic development at all jurisdiction level. Recognising Bali has moves advance with customary rights and governance system, 5 days learning program were designed started 23 until 28 of February to provide a complete behind the scene of Bali. The heads of Jayapura District on his mobile message says that "they should able to see and learn from how community - government - privates partnership are working in Bali and build an economic and social benefit on the region. So learning on how the institutional arrangement, social values, economic activities and legal arrangement that Bali has are crucial for Jayapura". Responded the request, join facilitator from Indigenous People Alliance (AMAN), The Samdhana Institute and Yayasan Wisnu (Local NGO based in Bali) are managed to facilitated the complete trips and discussion with different keys Balinese stakeholder.

Visited Bali Fair Trade organization and learn how the community handy craft product are reaching global markets but benefiting to local craft maker are opened the trips of Jayapura delegation. Mr. Agung Alit the director of Bali FairTrade says that "Papua is the riches island and have a lot of thing to produces and meet global markets. But of courses join collaboration among government and community is crucial to makes the trades is happen. One ways they could takes are by opening a gallery in the airport".

In the main plenary session the delegation got valuable chance to learn from how Customary Community Movement around the archipelago, how the land body are works in regards to communal land rights, understand 'subak' as one world heritage, learn from how customary institution structure in Bali and how they coordinates each other, and the last session talk about business and economic body that accelerates the financial distribution and business development support to customary community in Bali. The next days was a trip to Penglipuran, Batur Lake and Pulagan "a subak  with UNESCO certificate". Prof Wayan Windie from Yudhayana University accompanied Jayapura district to introduces Subak and how its connected to the Balinese culture and religion. Understanding how water, farmers and rice fields are in one natural systems of benefits are emerged as another key message to the delegation.

Making the trip is completes with economic development and financial development the delegation were touched the manager and owner of the Massa Inn hotel in Kuta. A lesson about culture and tourism together with mindset behavior changing are putting in the 3 hours discussion with Mr. I Nyoman Sucipta. Learning about house customary community built a strong financial corporation is parts of the afternoon coffee round table discussion. The village credit body of PECATU in Jimbrana has emerge as the success strory from how Balinese build economic based on communal unity and respects to the culture. Lesson from Yayasan Pembangunan Sanur was then completed the saturday with a completes story of building an exclusive and appropriates tourism markets in a communal unity.

The overall trip was ended with a recommendation to works on institutional strengthening, community economic development, social values and legal arrangement that the Government of Jayapura in collaboration with customary community leader (ondoafi) and CSO/NGO could works on realizing the overall agenda on customary village building in Jayapura district.

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IPs Rights Integrated into Government Decentralized Forest Management Units (KPH)

 Up-plan deforestation in eastern Biak, mostly logged by community in their customary territories. Photo: Yunus Yumte

 Indigenous woman in Eastern Biak, taking big role in managing the land and forests. Photo: Yunus Yumte

Papua forest management is threatened by weak tenure, lack of genuine participation and minimum benefits to Papuan indigenous peoples. Respond to this problems since 2013 Samdhana bridged partnerships with Forests Management Unit (KPH) Biak Numfor Papua, KLHK, Papua State University, Local NGO Rumsram and Mnukwar, Byak Customary Assembly and customary communities in Eastern Biak, and district and provincial governments to build trust and find common ground. The current long term forest management plan document, covering 206,016 ha area of KPH in Biak-Numfor integrates the role of IPs in local forest management. First five villages inside KPH are now sharing common sets of activities with KPH on rights clarification, mapping, organizational strengthening, and planning forest resources management options. 

Papua remains host to the largest contiguous forest areas in Indonesia estimated at 35million hectares, with potential for generating low emission development models. Additionally KLHK Forestry Decree SK.481/Menhut-II/2009 approved designation of 56 units of KPH in Papua, covering 18,180,201 ha or 58.49 % of Papua forests reserves. Further, there is a need to develop culturally appropriate and decentralized forests management approaches that benefit local people to address the levels of poverty and conflict in Papua. Biak District in Papua has offered its KPH block for co-management, to address challenges of sustainable forest management, conflict, weak institutional arrangements and legal certainty for customary community rights and their legal participation in managing their forests resources. 

The KPH policy deals with the challenge of decentralized forests management schemes that improve the value of forests to the region and its people. National and provincial programs prioritized KPH, yet in 2013 stakeholder mapping assessment conducted by Samdhana Institute found that there are still big gap of knowledge, understanding and capacity at the local level to enhance the effective work of the KPH. Social issues have also emerged including lack of clarification of customary rights within the KPH, as well as the gaps in  local policy development to position and reinforce the role of KPHs in Papua. 

Provided technical assistance and training of KPH Unit in conduct of full forest inventory, participatory mapping, development of long-term forest management plan, FPIC and community organizing. KPH,Biak Numfor was awarded this year’s prize as one of the top three best protection KPH in Indonesia. Because of this project, the KPH in Biak has developed mechanisms of partnership between local government with customary communities to conduct forests resources management within their customary rights, and develop ecotourism options. Recently village key stakeholders inaugurated the Eastern Biak eco-tourism unit and worked with Korean Company to develop bamboo plantation industry where community participation is on of the key prerequisites.  KPH Biak-Numfor has now become a key reference of the Provincial Forestry Department and KLHK to develop a KPH in Papua. 

Ariestoteles Ap, the head of KPHL Biak Numfor explain the plan for Opsnondi lake. Photo: Yunus Yumte

KPH is a KLHK flagship, that is ready for implementation in forest areas for protection, conservation and concessions. It works best in state forest areas that is able to integrate customary rights based on MK 35. It therefore potentially provides space to enhance the participation of customary community to significantly enhance management of their forests. But the work in KPH Biak is exceptional because of there are good leadership qualities of the KPH head. He is also able to work with local NGOs and is committed and equipped with community facilitation skills, openness and has cultural understanding.  Lessons include: 

• Good Leadership: A vision, commitment to local partnerships and strong leadership is crucial at the beginning of the KPH. Mainstreaming leadership programs and support systems in the KPH should be a priority including challenge funds or flexible systems of funding local participation, including mapping and organizational development of local stakeholders.  
• Good technical knowhow: Provision of good technical, links with NGOs for good social and business capacity helps KPH and community organizations, and reduces long term dependency of outsider facilitators.
• Good cultural understanding and flexibility to accommodate rights, mapping and other stakeholders interests;
• Government support: ability to maximize legal, regulatory and programmatic instruments are available at district and provincial governments is very important

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