Katu tribe allowed to retain forest home

Katu tribe allowed to retain forest home

By Tanra Alam

PALU, Central Sulawesi (JP): A long debate on whether a tribal
community should be allowed to live in a conservation forest has
eventually ended, with a decision in their favor.

Katu tribespeople, better known as the Katu people, deserved
the victory; they are permitted to stay on inside the Lore Lindu
National Park.

In April this year, head of the park's management, Banjar
Yulianto Laban, issued a statement saying that the Katu people
could continue living in 1,178-hectares of land under the park's
management.

"I believe that the tribal community has traditional wisdom in
managing their environment, protecting the forest from illegal
loggers," Banjar said.

Based solely on this expression of trust, the tribal people
are allowed to live inside the park. There has been no official
regulation concerning the issue.

The Katu people have lived in the forest area for generations.
They farm land and collect rattan and other forest products. The
1,178-hectare area is well-cultivated.

"I thought that the area was only for their housing. It turned
out that it is where they grow paddy and collect rattan and
wood," Banjar said.

He added that if the area was awarded to concessionaire
holders for a 75-year term, the park would be devastated.

For the Katu people, the park management's policy is a
pleasant surprise after an arduous struggle to retain their
ancestral land.

To express their happiness, the Katu have distributed copies
of the park management's statement to villages outside the park.
Additionally, they held a day-long tribal party. As a token of
respect, Banjar was invited and given the honor of slaughtering
the first buffalo.

"I was too scared to slaughter the buffalo, so I just drew the
blade and gave it to the tribal chief," Banjar said.

The Katu endured a long, painful struggle before they
eventually received the welcome news.

In 1800, they peacefully moved to an area now known as Katu
village. But peace did not prevail long. In 1918, during Dutch
colonial rule, they were forced to move to Bangkuleo village, 20
kilometers south of their village, to facilitate tax collection.

In 1925, they returned to Katu village and cleared the forest.
But 24 years later, they were forced to abandon their village
before finally returning to their native land 10 years later.

Their suffering did not end there. In the 1970s, without their
knowledge, their village was earmarked as a conservation area.
Again, they were told to move. But this time, they refused to
obey the order. In 1975, they vowed not to leave the village. The
pledge was known as Totovi Tauna To Ara Iwanua Katu.

Another indigenous group in the park, the Dodolo people,
unfortunately, can not share their victory. They have been asked
to leave their village, which is allocated for a conservation
area.

Lured by the promise of better living, they have agreed to
move under the Ministry of Social Services' Isolated Community
Social Welfare Development Program.

But, as it turns out, the program is an empty promise.

"How can we live better, they don't give us the houses they
promised. They said we would get 42-square-meter houses with
tiled floors, but it turns out that we're given 20-square-meter
rumah panggung (houses built on stilts)," Yacob, a Dadolo, said.

The Dadolo people also complained that they received less than
the two hectare-land lots promised by the government.

"Most families only get 1.3 hectares of land each. And so far,
we have not obtained certificates of land ownership," said Yesaha
Kaho, another resident.

They also complained that although the government had provided
them with homes between Kaduwaa and Wanga villages, 77 families
had had to surrender part of their land after claims by
neighboring villagers.

Unclear ownership of the land has aggravated the Dodolo
people's dissatisfaction.

The Dodolo have to fight hard to survive. Sometimes, they have
to steal rattan in the forest to sell in order to buy food.

"What can we do? Our land can't produce enough for our
family," said Yesaha.

Their suffering has not ended. In the new location, they were
under threat of a deadly disease known as "snail fever", an
endemic disease caused by a worm (Schistoma Japanicum) infection.

"Our life is not getting any better. That's why we're asking
the authorities to move us back to our village or to a better
place," said Damas Torae, head of Dodolo's village.

Although efforts have been made, including a dialog with the
Central Sulawesi provincial administration, their lives are yet
to change for the better.

The Dodolo people remain displaced, doing battle with the
unfriendly environment to survive.