FARMERS ARE NO LONGER ALONE?

Farmers and agriculture are still the main sectors supporting Indonesia’s economic growth. According to data from Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), 40.83% of Indonesia’s total labor force works in the agricultural sector. However, BPS also noted that the number of households relying on the agricultural sector decreased by 5 million households over 10 years …

The People Lead Themselves

Basic Cadre Training Notes On 24-26 March 2022, 25 participants from various KSPPM assistance areas such as North Tapanuli, Toba and Samosir districts attended the Basic Organisational Cadre Training at the KSPPM Parapat Sopo. Participants are farmers and organisational cadres who are prepared to become administrators and local level organisers who are expected to later …

Indigenous Women: Wise Protectors of the Earth and Leaders of Climate Action

Tuesday, 15 March 2022. A number of international NGOs organised a discussion on environmental issues and indigenous peoples. The discussion presented 4 (four) speakers, namely Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk (Cross-Culture Program Manager at Montezuma Land Conservacy, Former Council-woman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Former Co-chair of the Inter-tribal Coalition on Bears Ears), Melody Daugherty (Tsalagi, …

Tens of Thousands of People Support the Recognition of Pargamanan Indigenous People’s Customary Forest

Dolok Sanggul, 21 March 2022 – More than 23,000 petition signatures were submitted to the Regent of Humbang Hasundutan, through this petition the Pargamanan Bintang Maria Indigenous Community in Parlilitan District, Humbang Hasundutan Regency asked the Regent to immediately issue a Regional Regulation on the Protection of Indigenous Peoples (PPMHA) as a legal umbrella to …

National Human Rights Commission: In an Independent Country, Every People MUST Be Independent

Tornauli (17/03). In the morning at 9:30am, the Indigenous Peoples Community (IP) in Parmonangan Sub-district, North Tapanuli had a special guest from Jakarta, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM). On this occasion, Komnas HAM wanted to talk about violations committed by PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) and other parties against the existing IP …

Two Years of Food Estate in Siria-Ria, Facts and Reflections

Since President Jokowi launched it in June 2020, the Food Estate program in Humbang Hasundutan has been running for two years. Initially, many people were optimistic about this National Strategic Project because it was narrated as a way to face the risk of a food crisis in this country. Excessive development competing with each other …

Farmers Complain about Fertilizer: What’s the Government Doing?

In recent months, scarce and expensive fertilizers have been the main complaint of farmers in Indonesia, including in the North Tapanuli District. I found this complaint about fertilizers in several discussions about Law No.19 of 2013 on Farmer Protection and Empowerment. One part of the discussion was an inventory of farmers’ problems. Op. Jojo Tambunan …

THE COMPLEXITIES OF TOURISM IN SIGAPITON

Various projects of the Lake Toba Authority Implementing Agency (BPODT) that have been present in Sigapiton since six years ago have often caused conflict and disturbed the peace of the community’s life, with various problems such as customary land grabbing and landslides. The international tourism program promoted by BPODT has converted land and changed the …