Solidarity statement for the recognition of the Cek Bocek community's rights

Written on 28 November 2018. Posted in Indonesia

The solidarity statement in favour of recognising the Cek Bocek community as an indigenous people made by the participants at Asia Peoples Pact’s IPHRD Exchange held November 2018 in Indonesia.

The Cek Bocek community, also known as the Berco tribe, with a population of 372 households, have long suffered from the neglect of the Republic of Indonesia to protect their right to land, particularly to freely access their traditional forest, since the mining company, PT. Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT), started its exploration in their customary forest in Sumbawa district in 1986. NNT has acquired concession of 16.000 hectares of the 29.000-hectare customary land of the Cek Bocek community. Within the concession, are 1,525 graveyards, 4 rivers and 20 streams where 4 streams are considered sacred, and 150 small houses used for making brown sugar.

We, the participants of Asia Peoples Pact’s IPHRD Exchange 2018 representing 10 countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam), stand in solidarity with the Cek Bocek community and call on

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, to

1) Uphold Article 18b-2 of the Indonesian Constitution of 1945 and the Constitutional Court Decision no. 35 of 2012 by passing the Bill on Indigenous Peoples Rights this year;

2) Ensure to stop the mining expansion until meaningful consultation with all of the Cek Bocek community’s members has taken place.

3) Ratify ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention of 1989 (ILO 169)

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry to:

1) Conduct strategic environment study (Kajian lingkungan hidup strategis/KLHS)

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources

1) Encourage the AMNT to fulfill their responsibility to respect the rights of Cek Bocek community.

The Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia/Komnas HAM (national human rights institution) to:

1) Monitor the implementation of its recommendations from the national inquiry 20142) Monitor the violation of the rights of the Cek Bocek community.

The Sumbawa Head of District/Bupati, Husni Djibril, to

1) Recognise Cek Bocek community as indigenous peoples/masyarakat adat through the local regulation or decree;

2) Facilitate a meaningful consultation of the Cek Bocek community with the AMNT;

3) Immediately withdraw military and police forces and grant full and secure access to the Cek Bocek’s customary land;

4) Stop AMNT’s expansion until meaningful consultation with all of the Cek Bocek community’s members is ensured and a consensus is reached.

The AMNT to

1) Immediately grant full and secure access to Cek Bocek’s customary land;

2) Stop expansion until it has engaged in a meaningful consultation with the Cek Bocek community and a consensus is reached.

The international community to:

1) Sustain their solidarity, sincere attention and support to the struggles of Cek Bocek community with the AMNT.

The Cek Bocek community to:

1) Stay united and actively defend your rights

Read the full statement here >>

Tags: Land rights, Human rights