In Conversation with Defe
This World Environment Day, we spoke with an Indigenous & environmental defender from Indonesia
Interviewed by Adam Shaw
In May, Defe, an Indigenous and environmental human rights defender from Indonesia visited the UK to speak to various government and civil society representatives about the impacts plantations are having on Indigenous communities in West Papua. As part of this, PBI UK invited Defe to introduce herself, her organisation, and the West Papuan context to new readers through a short interview. We are publishing this interview on World Environment day to highlight how grassroots Indigenous and environmental human rights defenders are vital to the protection of our natural world.
Defe outside Parliament after a meeting with Alex Sobel MP.
Could you please begin by sharing a bit about yourself, PUSAKA, and why you are here today?
My name is Defe. I work as a researcher at PUSAKA, a civil society organisation operating in the Southern and Western parts of West Papua, which advocates for the rights of Indigenous peoples and environmental justice.
The Indonesian government debates the definition of Indigenous people, arguing at times that there are no Indigenous people in Indonesia or that everyone is Indigenous to Indonesia. Therefore, it is difficult for Indigenous people to secure access to and ownership of their forest or land, as they need to obtain relevant documentation from the state to get the legal rights associated with having recognised Indigenous status in law.
So, PUSAKA accompanies communities and provides advocacy support to help Indigenous people gain this status and recognition so they can secure their rights to their forests and land. We operate in villages, accompanying them and helping map their communities, starting by transcribing their histories, lineage, and customary law to create a customary territorial map - these maps usually take 1 to 3 years to produce as Indigenous people do not operate under the territorial boundaries created by colonial powers (the Netherlands and the UK) that divide West Papua and Papua New Guinea. They instead use features, with territory based on geographical landmarks like mountains, swamps, trees, and lakes which creates complex, differently shaped maps. PUSAKA then brings these documents to the Indonesian government to help them gain legal recognition.
However, while we are working to get this legal recognition, we are also facing land-grabbing from companies and the government. Thus, our concentration is divided between focusing on helping communities gain recognition and advocacy to secure their rights when community land is threatened by companies or the government. Overall, our main purpose is advocacy, supporting Indigenous voices as they speak to the government. We are now also taking this advocacy internationally.
The destruction of natural forest belonging to the Malind and Yei tribes, National Strategic Project concession in Merauke, 4 December 2024. Credit: PUSAKA
Could you explain the relationship between plantation operations and human rights violations in Indonesia, particularly in West Papua?
The extractive industry in West Papua mainly began in 1969 with Freeport, though at that time it was separate from Indonesia. Indonesia signed an agreement with Freeport before West Papua formally became part of the country and started mining activities. These activities have since grown and in 1992, palm plantations began in Papua starting in Manokwari and Keerom. West Papua has now been mapped by the national government and zoned into areas for construction, plantationing, and mining.
Without a special document recognising Indigenous status, the government sees land as being empty, basically free real estate, and zones it. While West Papua has a law giving the region special autonomy, and this, in theory, means that these industries must ask Indigenous people for permission with prior and informed consent, this has not been implemented properly and changes on a case-by-case basis. This has changed Indigenous peoples’ livelihoods due to the large-scale destruction of the environment in West Papua.
Many people in West Papua believe that the relationship between nature and the people is integrated. This means that if you destroy the environment, you will have a huge impact on communities. For instance, in Zanegi, Merauke, the government gave a timber company permission to operate and they destroyed a customary area of the tribe; because of this land clearing, they also had to travel further to get food - this happens similarly in most plantations Additionally, palm plantation trees are water-intensive and have contributed to droughts, which have a huge impact on communities.
Could you tell us a bit more about the repression you and other environmental defenders experience in West Papua?
Due to the history of West Papua, there is an ongoing conflict between the military government and the independence movement. As the system in Indonesia is also racist, people who are labelled as ‘Papuan’ are stigmatised and labelled with this movement to legitimise criminalisation. Due to this stigma, the military has even shot people because they ‘looked like’ they could be part of this movement. This is, unfortunately, common.
As a West Papuan, if you criticise the system for what it does to the environment and Indigenous people, they conflate this with acts of treason, connecting you to the independence movement to try to make intimidation appear more legitimate. Also, as corporations work alongside the military (there is a large military presence in West Papua), they can easily intimidate local communities mentally and physically, particularly environmental human rights defenders, to get them to stop their work.
PUSAKA faces daily intimidation. People frequently come to the office, call, and ask questions about our activities and whether they are related to independence activities.
What motivates you to continue your work despite these challenges and dangers?
While Indonesia has regulations regarding human rights defenders, these laws overlap and can be subverted by the government and corporations- you can go through the correct procedure and still be told that you are wrong.
I have had the privilege to learn my rights as an environmental human rights defender and know both my national and international rights. I also know that what happens to me is not as bad as those who live in the villages where people are subject to daily intimidation from the military and could lose access to their forest if they fight back.
My mission is to support and stand in solidarity with them, knowing I have the ability and knowledge to do this and that supporting grassroots organisations is important.
Defe with a delegation of Indigenous leaders from Malaysia and Brazil after a meeting at the FCDO.
What role can the international community play in supporting your work and the work of other Indonesian environmental defenders?
West Papuan forests and the environment are important not only because of Indigenous communities’ intergenerational connection to the land but also because of the bigger role of these forests globally. West Papua is a a lung of the world alongside the Congo and the Amazon with 33 million hectares of forest. Thus, supporting the Indigenous population who maintain the environment and live sustainably is in everyone’s interest due to climate change.
With 1.1 million hectares currently burdened with palm plantation permits, 2 million hectares zoned for sugar cane plantations and rice fields, and more and more corporations operating in West Papua, forests are transforming into corporate land for profit. Everyone should guard these forests and the international community should pressure the Indonesian government into recognising that destroying the forest is bad for everyone.
This international pressure should aim to:
Pressure the Indonesian government to evaluate the Merauke National Strategy Project, considering in particular the impacts on the environment and Indigenous peoples’ rights.
Support the calls for the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples to visit Merauke.
Pressure the Indonesian government to cease the militarisation of West Papua.
Call to Action!
If this interview inspired you to take action, there are several ways you can do so to support and protect Indigenous communities, defenders and organisations on the frontlines of protecting the environment and the planet!
Write to your MP! Urge them to support a UK law to hold companies accountable for environmental and human rights abuses. It takes less than 3 minutes: using this handy template by Friends of the Earth.
Sign the Petition: Pledge your support for a UK law to hold companies accountable for environmental and human rights abuses. Join thousands demanding change to support defenders and communities on the frontlines!
Stay in the Loop: Sign up to the PBI UK newsletter to hear about future events, updates, and how you can take action.
Support Defenders at Risk: Donate to Peace Brigades International to help us continue our support of environmental defenders like Defe.
Interested in Volunteering? Learn more about joining one of our international protection teams here.
