JakartaPost-Sept 22, 2026
The long-awaited indigenous peoples bill might once again be left in limbo as the House of Representatives races to prioritize another bill on agrarian reform, raising concerns among activists pushing for a special legislation on the recognition of the underserved and dispossessed. After being on and off the table at the House for 15 years, the indigenous peoples bill got a fresh chance to become law when lawmakers put it in the list of this year’s legislative priorities. Yet, its deliberation so far made little progress this year, particularly after the House in August unexpectedly added three new bills to its priority list, including on agrarian reform, which is expected to help resolve land conflicts and ensure a fairer distribution of land, including for indigenous communities. Initiated by the House Legislative Body (Baleg), the agrarian reform bill has since progressed rapidly, unlike the indigenous peoples bill. On Monday, Baleg wrapped up discussion on the agrarian reform bill and agreed to bring it to the Tuesday plenary session to pass it into law before the commemoration of National Farmers Day later this week. The House’s apparent focus on the agrarian bill has raised concerns among civil society groups under the Coalition for the Indigenous Peoples Bill that lawmakers might backtrack on their commitment to prioritize indigenous people. Over a hundred agrarian conflicts recorded in 2025 pitted the rights of indigenous communities against the interests of concession holders. The lack of legal standing often leaves indigenous communities at a disadvantage when defending their land rights. Sociologist Rakhmat Hidayat of the National University of Jakarta (UNJ) said the absence of a law on indigenous peoples means Indonesia is falling short of its constitutional obligation to protect indigenous citizens. “It’s absolutely essential that indigenous peoples, their land, forest, culture and rights to education are protected by laws. Having legal certainty will help minimize discrimination, persecution and marginalization against indigenous communities,” he said, adding agrarian reform alone could not comprehensively address indigenous rights. Read more at:
