By Anggalia Putri Permatasari [1]

“When power is in the hands of the people and communities, life and innovation thrive. When power is centralized in the hands of government bodies or companies located far away, community life is sucked out… Those making decisions prosper while local communities bear the consequences.”

(Korten, “The Great Turning”)

Power over territories and natural resources is power over life. Since ancient times, indigenous communities and local communities have lived alongside nature and have a strong bond with the land and everything that grows on it. Even during colonial times, there were periods when indigenous communities and local communities had autonomy to govern their own lives and governance, including how they utilized the natural resources around them, not only for the well-being of their people but also to support outsiders (read: urban dwellers) and for the preservation of nature itself.[2] Unfortunately, dark times followed when this autonomy was forcibly broken by external forces claiming to be the central government. Centralization and standardization of local governance during the New Order era in the form of ‘standardized’ villages further eroded the local communities’ power over their territories and natural resources.

Various top-down development projects aimed at modernizing everything deemed ‘backward’ were injected without the consent of affected communities, if necessary using violence or the threat of violence (deemed legitimate as it originated from the state).[3] As the nation transitions into the era of reform and decentralization, there is a glimmer of hope to bring power back to the grassroots level so that the sovereignty and empowerment of the people in its truest sense can be achieved. Unfortunately, changes in mindset do not necessarily translate into practice on the ground, especially amidst the current regime of control and management of natural resources that positions the state not only as a manager but as the absolute owner, sidelining local communities and even disregarding their existence.

This short article discusses one of HuMa’s activities related to efforts to empower indigenous peoples and local communities to regain control over natural resources in Central Sulawesi through a legal reform movement. This activity is related to one of the climate change mitigation schemes currently being promoted by the central and regional governments, namely REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). Currently, REDD+ has become one of the hottest issues driving the debate on forestry and climate.

 Climate Change, REDD+, and Central Sulawesi

The issue of climate change and its mitigation not only dominates environmental discourse globally but has also begun to affect the lives of people at the local level. REDD+, which promotes the reduction of carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, has emerged as an international favorite for combating climate change as it is seen as less burdensome for developed countries. The scheme, initially proposed by Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica, was later adopted as a program by the Indonesian government after SBY declared his commitment to reducing national carbon emissions by 26% (independently) or 41% (with assistance from other countries). This commitment was considered extraordinary and attracted billions in foreign aid. Since then, various policies, regulations, programs, and projects related to REDD+ have emerged at the national, sub-national, and local levels with communities at the ‘front line.’

This rapid top-down process, formulated without adequate information and participatory space, and lacking a strong community rights basis, has raised many concerns and fears among indigenous peoples and local communities. The communities’ biggest