Human rights experts call for Indonesia to formally recognize its Indigenous peoples

UN experts expressed concern on Tuesday about Indonesia’s continued disregard for its indigenous people’s fundamental rights. They urged the Indonesian government to recognize indigenous peoples and to work with them to develop an inclusive and sustainable national development strategy.

Despite voting in favor of adopting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007, the experts asserted that Indonesia continues to “deny formal recognition [of] self-identifying indigenous people, undermining their rights to lands, to self-determination and their [culture]”.

The experts, who include Albert Barume, Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, stated:

“Giving recognition to all groups, respecting their differences and allowing them all to flourish, i