Indigenous land rights under pressure in Indonesia ^{CEFR B2}

Indigenous peoples were a focus at the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, where their role as forest guardians was emphasised. In Indonesia, however, many communities face competing pressure from state-backed climate and development projects that threaten lands and rights. Indigenous groups have named several large projects of concern, including the geothermal plant in Poco Leok (East Nusa Tenggara), the bioenergy project in Merauke (Papua), dam construction in North Kalimantan and the Lambo Reservoir in Nagekeo.

Indonesia is estimated to have 50 to 70 million Indigenous people across more than 2,000 groups, with 2,161 recognized communities. Most live on Borneo, then Sulawesi and Sumatra. The government pledged at COP30 to recognize 1.4 million hectares of customary forest and has received maps for 33.6 million hectares of customary territory, of which more than half lie in forest areas. AMAN called the 1.4 million hectares a first step but warned it must not become a token promise without real Indigenous involvement and solutions to land disputes.

AMAN reported that 2025 saw a sharp deterioration: it recorded 135 cases of customary land being taken, leading to the loss of 3.8 million hectares from 109 Indigenous communities, and 162 communities suffered criminalization and violence linked to forestry, mining, energy, large plantations, infrastructure, and the creation of conservation areas and national parks. AMAN secretary-general Rukka Sombolinggi said 38 million hectares of Indigenous land were taken in 2025; over the previous decade 11.7 million hectares were seized, an average of 1.1 million per year, making 2025 about three times the average. AMAN also warned that a Presidential Regulation on forest areas brings security forces into Indigenous lands and risks further militarization, while the Indigenous Peoples Bill has been stalled in parliament for over ten years.

Outside the main COP30 talks, 11 countries agreed to recognize global tenure rights covering 160 million hectares, and philanthropic groups and some developed countries pledged $1.8 billion to support Indigenous peoples. AMAN stressed that Indonesia’s promise to restore 1.4 million hectares needs more attention, noting there has been no official progress after COP30.