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Red cloth and paint: Papuan indigenous people's efforts to protect the world's lungs
March 6, 2026 in Domberai, Environment Reading Time: 4 mins read
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Author: Gamaliel Kaliele - Editor: Angela Flassy
Indigenous people mark trees in the forest as boundaries of their customary areas - Jubi/Gamaliel
Teminabuan, Jubi – Indigenous elders, women, and youth, along with Jubi journalists, walked through the Kordaimahkrah, Sun, Mondarmbe, and Nimadaduk forests in Konda District, South Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua. They carried red cloth and paint to mark the forest's trees as customary territory boundaries, based on natural landmarks such as large trees, rivers, and mountains that have long served as boundaries for customary rights between clans, Wednesday (March 4, 2026).
The forest they have long protected is under threat from the expansion of the palm oil company PT Anugerah Sakti Internusa (ASI), which holds a concession of approximately 37,000 hectares in the Konda and Teminabuan Districts. Of these, 14,000 hectares are located on the customary lands of these indigenous people.
Yance Mondar, a community leader from Nakna Village, stated that through this action, the indigenous people of Konda District are sending a strong message to companies and the government that customary forests are not investment-free areas and that these lands have a history, ownership, and life that cannot be replaced with money or promises of development.
"We reject oil palm, not because we don't want development, but because oil palm will destroy the forests that have long been part of our lives and beliefs," he said.
"If the forest disappears, our livelihoods will also disappear, and our ancestral heritage will also disappear," he said.
The South Sorong Regency Government revoked the plantation business permit of PT Anugerah Sakti Internusa (ASI) on May 20, 2021, through South Sorong Regent Decree No. 025/104/BSS/V/2021. The reason was that when PT ASI obtained the permit, it failed to comply with the obligations stipulated in the IUP, such as the indigenous community's failure to consent to the company's acquisition of customary land and forest. PT ASI's lawsuit was filed with the State Administrative Court (PTUN) and the Supreme Court, and the indigenous community won.
Despite the legal standing, PT ASI has recently continued its efforts to obtain the indigenous community's permit by conducting outreach campaigns, as happened three weeks ago. While state apparatus is being used to threaten indigenous communities, the communities continue to strive to protect tropical forests, which are the lungs of the entire world.
Jubi journalists embarked on a long journey on foot through the wilderness from the nearest village early in the morning, without vehicles and without communication.
The only guides were the traditional elders who had lived alongside the forest since childhood.
The deeper they went into the jungle, the denser and quieter the atmosphere became. Large trees towered tall, some exceeding one meter in diameter and estimated to have been living for hundreds of years. The thick canopy allowed only a thin layer of sunlight to penetrate the forest floor. Giant tree roots spread through the damp soil, while the sounds of birds and wildlife could occasionally be heard in the distance.
"For us, the indigenous people of Konda District, this forest is more than just a natural expanse; every large tree, small river, and mountain ridge marks the boundaries of our customary territory," said Mondar.
These boundaries are not written on national maps, but live in the collective memory of the indigenous people.
During the journey, dozens of indigenous people gathered to perform a ritual and then planted traditional stakes to mark the boundaries of their customary rights.
Yance Mondar said the forest patrols and the installation of customary stakes were carried out to protect the area from the threat of oil palm plantation expansion.
"We surveyed and created these customary markers because a company and several other parties are planning to let in oil palm plantations. So we are also afraid and must protect our customary land," he said.
He said the community is worried that if the forest area is cleared for oil palm plantations, they will lose their living space.
"If oil palm plantations come in, they will destroy our small forest. Where will we live? Where will we hunt? Where will we farm? So, we can't give up these rights if this area is cultivated for oil palm, then where will our lives be?" said Yance Mondar.
The forest patrol attended by Jubi journalists involved various clans, including Mondar, Kareth, Sarus, Sianggo, Karet, and Kemeray. They included traditional elders, women, and even youth.
Red cloth and red paint marked large trees as symbols of customary prohibitions.
Throughout their reporting journey, Jubi journalists also found signs of wildlife: wild boar tracks were visible in the damp soil, while the sounds of cassowaries and birds of paradise could be heard from within the forest.
"This forest is also a habitat for various animals such as cuscuses, tree kangaroos, deer, and various species of native birds," said Grice Mondar, standing, pointing to the dense expanse of large trees surrounding him.
He explained that the forest is a primary food source for indigenous communities who still depend on nature.
"In this forest, wild boars, cassowaries, laulau, kangaroos, cuscuses, maleo, deer, and many other wild animals live here. So, our extended family rejects the oil palm plantation," he said.
Besides being a hunting ground, the forest also serves as a living space for indigenous women. They collect various medicinal plants and craft materials from the forest for their families' needs.
Mama Fransina Sianggo explained that various household needs come from nature. "This forest barrel is used for medicinal purposes when a family member is sick. We also collect mat leaves and grass to make noken (traditional bamboo baskets) and mats for the family's needs," she said.
Yulian Kareth, an Afsya traditional leader who participated in the forest patrol, emphasized that the indigenous people will not hand over their territory to any company, because this forest is not empty land; it has its owners.
"So, we will always reject oil palm," he asserted.
The forest is their home, their source of life, and a spiritual space that connects them to their ancestors. Therefore, planting customary stakes in the forest is not only a symbol of territorial boundaries, but also a form of resistance by indigenous peoples to maintain their identity, culture, and the future of their generations as the lungs of the world. (*)
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