Reflection Results of PHR in 4 Regions: PHR Still Relevant and Must Continue to Evolve!

Nabila Revianti

The Reflection Activity of PHR (People’s Legal Aid) at the end of 2023 has been successfully carried out in three regions: West Kalimantan, Sulawesi (South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, and West Sulawesi), and lastly West Sumatra, followed by PHR in the Java region (Central Java, East Java, and West Java) in 2024. The PHR Reflection Agenda was held based on recommendations from the HuMa General Assembly meetings in 2022 and 2023. PHR are individuals who work in social movements to empower the legal resources of the people and/or promote legal reform towards social and ecological justice. These individuals are spread across village levels, campuses, and national and regional organizations. PHR was initiated by HuMa and its strategic partners and is closely tied to the history of HuMa’s establishment.

The Kalimantan Regional PHR Reflection activity took place in Pontianak on December 8-9, 2023. A total of 16 individuals involved in various stages of PHR development, from Critical Law Training (PHK), PHR School (SPHR), to Field School, participated in the reflection event. The aim was to formulate steps to nurture and enhance the capacity of PHR in the future. Several key questions were discussed during the discussion process, including the differences between field schools and critical legal education, the definition of PHR and its differences with paralegals, matters related to Advanced PHR, and others.

Susi Fauziah described PHR as heroic figures defending the truth. She stated, “Because PHR works by fighting, struggling with the capacities within themselves, working in the community with local knowledge and legal knowledge at the national level,” this strong commitment provides inspiration to those around them. Several conclusions can be drawn from the discussion. First, the criteria to become a PHR, such as having an understanding of community organization, attending critical law training, and being trusted by the community to assist with legal and social issues using living legal knowledge and state positive law. Second, there are recommendations that need further exploration together, that through action research, local knowledge and wisdom regarding the history of customary areas, indigenous communities, wealth assets, and governance/institutions systems can be explored and developed.

Next, on December 22-23, 2023, the PHR Reflection activity for the Sulawesi Region was held in Makassar, South Sulawesi. Of the total participants in the PHR reflection event in South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, and Central Sulawesi, 99% were PHR activists and 1% were community or field PHR. The discussion was sparked by presentations from four speakers who are PHR activists in Sulawesi, namely Martje Leninda Palijama, Zainuddin, Saenal Abidin, and Solihin.

Topics discussed include the role of PHR as legal aids for the people and people’s law, building mutual understanding in nurturing and developing PHR in the future, and others. The relevance of these discussions is to strengthen the understanding and commitment of PHR in empowering the legal resources of society, promoting legal reform towards social and ecological justice, and critiquing government policies that are not pro-people. Andik Hardiyanto emphasized the social and ecological justice advocated by PHR, “Justice for indigenous communities, justice from local communities. Justice includes management of natural resources. Receiving benefits and profits from the management of natural resources.”

Social and ecological justice means ensuring that everyone has clear access, receives benefits, and gains fair advantages from the management of natural resources. There are two processes and forms of advocacy in responding to this. The first is the facilitation assistance process, such as building networks to develop cooperation. The second is the networking{{PLACEHOLDER