HuMa collaborated with the Inter-church Organisation for Development Co-operation (ICCO) to hold a three-day regional workshop (July 23-25) in Seminyak, Bali. The event focused on promoting people’s rights to land and natural resources. The workshop was motivated by the rampant land grabbing in the ASEAN region. Land grabbing in the context of Indonesia is often interpreted as land confiscation.

Around 21 organizations from various ASEAN countries participated in this regional workshop, including Cambodia, Burma/Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea. Apart from HuMa, Indonesia was represented by the Participatory Mapping Network (JKPP), Rumpun Bambu Foundation, Aceh. The facilitators were Sandra Moniaga and Noer Fauzi Rahman.

During the opening session, Billy de la Rosa, Program Officer of ICCO, mentioned several reasons for organizing the workshop. The strong presence of multinational capital in the region directly contributes to the widespread land grabbing. The pressure from capital emphasizes the need for land certainty, posing a threat to people’s rights to land and natural resources, a serious concern in ASEAN countries.

Andik Hardiyanto, representing the Chairman of HuMa’s Board of Trustees, echoed similar sentiments. Indigenous communities and local residents are the most vulnerable to land acquisition, marginalized by state power through formal regulations and legislation that favor capital.

The first day of the workshop included country presentations and advocacy-related topics. Mary Ann Manahan from Focus on the Global South presented on the “Gender Impact of Resources Grab,” while Wozani Moyo from ICCO Southern Africa shared comparative experiences on “Land and Natural Resource Grabbing in Southern Africa.” The day ended with the formation of a drafting committee to develop a joint statement.

The second day featured more presentations, with Dr. Saturnino Borras from the International Institute of Social Science (ISS), The Hague, discussing the “Framing of the Global Resource Grabbing Issue.” Indra Lubis from La Via Campesina (LVC) then shared insights on “The Global Campaign on Land and Natural Resource Grabbing.”

After a break, Shalmali Guttal presented on “FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Land Tenure,” followed by Corrina Lopa from SEACA discussing “Engaging the ASEAN for Regional Lobby and Advocacy.” The day concluded with the preparation of a common regional action.

On the final day, Henri Saragih from LVC was the sole presenter, sharing experiences on advocating for land rights at the global level.