SIEJ Finds Indigenous Voices Underrepresented in Customary Law Bill Coverage

The Society of Indonesian Environmental Journalists (SIEJ) has assessed that the involvement of indigenous communities as primary sources in reporting on the Customary Law Communities Bill remains minimal. SIEJ researcher Fachri Hamzah stated that the findings were based on media monitoring of the bill from January to June 2026, presented at a Green Editor Forum with the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), media editors, civil society organisations, members of parliament, academics, and indigenous representatives. “The SIEJ monitoring results show that indigenous communities are still not the main subject in the news,” Fachri said in a press statement in Makassar on Tuesday. Out of 27 articles analysed with 48 source citations, only seven quotations came from indigenous communities. In contrast, members of the House of Representatives and civil society organisations were each cited 15 times. Responding to the findings, Muhammad Nasir Djamil, a member of the House Legislation Body and the working committee for the bill, said deliberations are ongoing and incorporate aspirations from indigenous communities across various regions. He noted that input from indigenous peoples, academics, civil society organisations, and the media is crucial for refining the legislation. Nasir emphasised that the regulation is necessary to provide legal certainty for the recognition and protection of indigenous rights amid persistent agrarian conflicts and pressures on customary territories.