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.