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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NORAD Team In Touched with The Head of Jayapura - Papua Province

Jayapura, 14^th January 2016. As a part of the monitoring and learning needs, Administrator of CSO Grant Program - NORAD representative Frida Skjaraasen and Rannveig Formo, The Forests and Climate Counsellor in Norway Embassy in Jakarta visiting The Samdhana Projects sites. The 1^st visit was conducting in Jayapura and met with Government Representative from Jayapura and Tambrauw Districts. The official meeting was designed by the Government in half day workshop.

The Bupati of Jayapura Districts on his opening remarks emphasized the importance of Indigenous Peoples role in saving the planet from the climate change impact. Given the current priority of the districts development in good governance, customary value reviving and sustainable land uses development, he was pointed out that the districts is gradually revitalize it steps forward with engaging non-government organization because they understand the limitation in their sides to implementing all the right based approached on sustainable development. He then thanks for all parties includes Samdhana Institute whose been putting a lot of attention and support in the customary community right development process and appreciate the efforts that Norway Government is doing for climate change mitigation and adaptation action globally.

Rannveig then added that the Norway government are still stand in their bilateral commitment to helps Indonesia in tackling the problem of Deforestation and Degradation and they believe that to achieve the emission reduction target, Indonesia should lead the action. She also expressed that one way to secure the natural forests is by secure the rights of people in and around forest. So she come to Papua to see and learn for such facts in community. Norway supports are providing not only to the government but also civil society, NGOs and Community groups to working in collaboration addressing the forests, climate and people issues. One form of support as what Samdhana is received from NORAD.

NGO and CSO roles in district development are crucial. In Jayapura, there are several NGOs who’s working closely with the government such as Pt PPMA with customary boundary mapping and community organizing, AFP3 with research, assessment and capacity building to customary village governance and Hirosih Foundation their works in conservation of Cyclops mountain. Several keys products have been produced by them in which strengthening the customary villages policy that the district has. AFP3 for example shared that they been working with the government and now almost final with the customary village governance education and training package. Bupati of Jayapura then asked for good collaboration among CSO/NGO and government to realize the overall targeted changes in the development pathway that the government has initiated. The meeting was also included 9 tribe leaders where the legal recognition has be given.

Included in the workshop the representative from Tambrauw district. They shared the initiative in conservation policy and local rights recognition. Head of Tambrauw Parliament as the speaker says that its important to take Jayapura as an example from them to start the works in customary right recognition. 

Jayapura and Tambrauw Districts in Papua Island are two of eight sites of the new approved NORAD Grant implementation sites of Samdhana Institute. Three component are in planning to be achieved in 5 years consists of (1) customary boundary mapping and legal recognition, (2) capacity building and (3) a good example of forests and land uses management. The Samdhana Institute Executive director added that Samdhana is working through partners and will mostly listen from what is needed on the ground. Samdhana niece is to helps customary community getting their dignitary and sovereignty over their land and resources. So priority is given to the areas with strong networking and political commitment in this issues in which all the support are packaging in the capacity and networking building direction.

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