A land conflict that has lasted for more than a decade in the customary territory of Muara Tae, East Kalimantan, has escalated once again. The Muara Tae Indigenous community has reported land clearing activities allegedly carried out by PT Borneo Surya Mining Jaya (PT BSMJ), an oil palm plantation company that is part of First Resources Ltd. The land conflict remains unresolved, as the company has once again carried out land clearing in an area adjacent to land that was cleared several years ago. The affected area is part of the customary territory of the Muara Tae Indigenous community. The.....
Dozens of Indigenous youth and local community members from various regions across Maluku ventured directly into the forests of Saunulu Village on Seram Island. They were not there for an adventure, but with a vital mission: to learn how to become the frontline guardians and monitors of the forest. Organized by Kaoem Telapak from June 1–6, 2026, the Forest Monitoring Training provided a collaborative learning space. As threats to Maluku's natural resources continue to grow, the program aimed to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to safeguard their forests and Indigenous territories......
In the eastern region of Indonesia lies an island renowned as the country's largest coconut producer: Wawonii Island. Situated in the Banda Sea, specifically within the Konawe Islands Regency of Southeast Sulawesi, its name holds a literal meaning. In the local Wawonii language, "Wawo" means high ground or above, while "Nii" means coconut......
The Rakawuta community in Southeast Sulawesi is facing multiple layers of pressure, ranging from land grabbing and forced evictions to criminalization, while their farmlands are being converted into oil palm plantations. Rakawuta is a village in Mowila Sub-district, South Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. As of 2024, the village had a population of approximately 891 people, consisting of 47 percent women and 53 percent men. Historically, Rakawuta was established as a transmigration settlement. In 1991, it was still part of Tondosari Hamlet III, Wuura Village, Landono Sub-district, Konawe Regency. At that time, Wuura Village was led by Mr. Jaenal Abidin......
The evolution of marine and fisheries sector governance in Indonesia over the last decade reflects a fundamental paradigm shift. It has moved from an exploitative approach to a sustainability-driven model centered on resource protection and human welfare. Amidst this dynamic, the role of civil society organizations has become crucial, serving as a bridge between grassroots realities in coastal areas and policymaking at the national and global levels. One representative journey in this context is that of Salam Kaoem Nelayan (SKN). This journey is an ongoing process of recording and documenting the conditions and situations unfolding across Indonesia's coastal regions......
The ocean breeze of Payum blows gently, carrying stories rarely heard beyond its shores. Along this coast, life ebbs and flows among the sea, family ties, coconut palms, and the empowering labor of Indigenous women......
Forestry law enforcement in Indonesia faces serious challenges, especially in ensuring consistency between criminal verdicts and the application of administrative sanctions. A key instrument in the forestry legal regime is the revocation of Forest Utilization Business Licenses (PBPH) as an administrative sanction for serious violations, such as illegal logging. However, in practice, there are indications of failure in implementing these sanctions. The case of PT Cakra Sejati Sempurna (PT CSS) serves as a clear example of how the mismatch between court rulings and administrative policies risks damaging the integrity of Indonesia's forestry legal system......
That hundreds of kilometers long road has prolonged the grief of the Malind or Malind Anim people, one of the largest tribes inhabiting Merauke, South Papua. In recent decades, various external threats have emerged, including corporations and national strategic projects (PSN). The entire landscape, which has long been meaningful as a living space, is slowly being forced into a new logic: becoming a commodity to be exchanged, exploited, and accumulated. This process alters the Malind people's relationship with their environment, while simultaneously opening a new chapter of conflict between Indigenous communities and large-scale development projects......
Kaoem Telapak has uncovered alleged corporate involvement in illegal logging practices in Southwest Papua Province. This forestry sector crime is suspected to be highly organized. The perpetrators do not act alone; rather, they involve individuals or small-scale investors who play a role in supplying timber raw materials that do not comply with forestry governance to the forestry industry......
The ecological disaster that struck Sumatra in late November and early December 2025 serves as a reflection of the state's failure to protect the people's living space......
