UNAIR NEWS – In commemoration of World Indigenous Peoples Day, which is celebrated every August 9, Ministry of Social and Political Affairs BEM FH UNAIR holds a World Indigenous Peoples Day Webinar entitled “Bill on Indigenous Peoples: Is there any protection of religious freedom of Sunda Wiwitan? “
The event invited Deputy Secretary-General for Political Affairs of Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (AMAN), Erasmus Cahyadi, as the main speaker explained that the problems of indigenous peoples seem trivial. Still, this problem is often related to their constitutional rights as citizens. He explained that the problems of indigenous peoples in Indonesia are diverse, ranging from claims and destruction of customary land by investors and development to the imposition of a belief that has been recognized by the state against a group of indigenous people.
“Referring to the topic of the webinar, the problem experienced by Karuhun Urang (AKUR) Indigenous people is that they receive persecution and discrimination because of their beliefs, because of their religion,” said the man who is familiarly called Eras.
Eras explained that one of the discriminations experienced by AKUR community was that they could not include Sundanese Wiwitan in the religion column on their identity card (KTP). The reason is because Sunda Wiwitan is not in the database of population service.
“Recently, the Kuningan Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) placed an orange barrier around the tomb and fastened two stickers to it. The agency said the group had built a “monument” without Building Construction Permit (IMB),” said him.
Eras said that Indonesia still does not have a special law to regulate indigenous peoples, he added that Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (AMAN) together with the community had tried to encourage the government to take policy in recognizing the existence of indigenous peoples.
“Until now, the Indigenous Peoples Bill is still reaping a polemic that has the potential not to provide protection equal to the community itself. “he concluded.
It should be noted that Indigenous Peoples Day Webinar was held on Friday afternoon, August 14, and also invited one of UNAIR legal experts, Joeni Arianto Kurniawan, SH, MA.
Author: Pradnya Wicaksana
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
