[Cibubur, October 8, 2013] “People’s law should be the answer to the deadlock of the State’s legal system in providing justice for the people. It is time for the law to be returned to the people and work under the banner of Indonesia’s ideals of a just and prosperous society,” said Andiko, Executive Director of HuMa in the Opening of the People’s Law High-Level Conference held on October 8, 2013.

This People’s Law High-Level Conference took place in Cibubur from October 8 to 10, 2013, carrying the theme “People’s Law, Shaping Indonesia’s Future”. The conference was attended by hundreds of People’s Law Facilitators (PHR) from various parts of the archipelago.

Meanwhile, Chalid Muhammad, Chairman of HuMa’s Management Board, explained, “In the midst of this nation’s decline due to the behavior of elites far from the sense of justice of the majority of the nation, there are still many Indonesians who act sincerely and selflessly to save this nation. They continue to build solidarity and tirelessly promote people’s law to achieve a fair legal reform in Indonesia. This People’s Law High-Level Conference is expected to be a milestone for the people’s law movement in taking a leading role in shaping Indonesia’s future.”

Myrna Safitri, Executive Director of the Epistema Institute, added that there is a need for legal reform, where People’s Law Facilitators (PHR) can assist the state by placing the right people in strategic positions, and by correcting the state that neglects to provide recognition, fails to provide protection, avoids resolving conflicts, and readily grants exploitation permits.

HuMa itself has been advocating for over a decade through People’s Law Facilitators (PHR) to ensure that people’s law complements the law enforcement process in Indonesia. HuMa believes that if people’s law is firmly placed as an integrative part of the national legal system, then Indonesia’s legal order will not stagnate.

Currently, HuMa has trained over 1,000 People’s Law Facilitators (PHR) throughout the archipelago to become agents of legal reform alongside the people to advocate with indigenous/local communities.

There have been many successes achieved by PHRs in pushing for the implementation of various government policies to strengthen land rights, economic resilience, and community participation dependent on natural resources.

This People’s Law High-Level Conference was opened with speeches from several national figures, such as Prof. Dr. Jimly Asshiddiqie, S.H., former Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Ibrahim, S.H., M.H., LLM, representative from the Judicial Commission, Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, Anis Baswedan, Myrna Safitri, and Andiko.

During this conference, People’s Law Facilitators (PHR) will also discuss various topics such as the Indonesian Judicial System, Law and Natural Resources Policy, Natural Resource Conflict, as well as the Village Law Draft and the Draft Law on Recognition and Protection of Indigenous Communities.

And on October 10, 2013, HuMa and PHR will hold a National Dialogue with the Supreme Court on the topic of