In today’s keynote speech” Kuntoro Mangkusubroto” head of the Indonesian President’s Special Delivery Unit” announced the government’s intention to prioritize the needs of its forest communities and to “recognize” respect and protect Adat (customary law of the indigenous peoples of Indonesia) rights”” implementing legislation that has been on the books for ten years.

In describing Indonesia’s century-long struggle with conflict over land rights” Pak Kuntoro said” “These conflicts are the result of an accumulation of past mistakes. We cannot let fear of making another mistake from preventing us from taking bold steps forward. Given the momentous task at hand”  it will not be easy” but we have to start somewhere.”

You can read the full speech here” and RRI’s press statement here.

In general” the reaction in the room to the government’s speech was extremely positive. At the end” there was resounding” lengthy applause. One woman had tears in her eyes and a smile on her face as she left the room.

The former  Secretary General of the Ministry  of Forestry” Pak Boen Purnama”  noted that the tone of the speech and the status of the speaker suggests how seriously the government is taking the land rights issue. “We all heard Pak Kuntoro say that what is needed now is implementation. And that suggests it’s not all talk.”