Traditional Markets Must Be Protected, Says Indonesian Legislator

Cindy Monica, a member of Commission I of the DPR and the Legislative Body (Baleg), is pushing for stronger protections for indigenous communities, including safeguarding the existence of traditional markets as centres of economic activity for indigenous peoples.

These statements were made by Cindy during the discussion of the Indigenous Peoples Bill (RUU Masyarakat Adat) within the DPR Legislative Body. According to her, every development and investment policy must respect the rights of indigenous peoples, including the right to manage economic spaces that have been part of their lives for generations.

“Traditional markets are not just places for buying and selling. For indigenous communities, markets are social and cultural spaces, as well as a source of livelihood. The state must be present to protect the economic spaces of indigenous peoples so they are not eroded by the uncontrolled expansion of modern markets,” said Cindy.

The NasDem Party politician emphasised that the presence of modern markets must not threaten the sustainability of indigenous community businesses. Therefore, she proposed that the Indigenous Peoples Bill include provisions requiring that the development of shopping centres or modern markets in indigenous areas must obtain consent from the indigenous community, while also considering the impact on the welfare of local residents.

“Do not allow modern markets to enter indigenous territories without the consent of the indigenous people and without considering their welfare. Development must bring justice, not kill the local economy that has long been the backbone of the community’s life,” she stated.

Furthermore, Cindy assessed that protection for indigenous communities is not limited to the recognition of customary land or cultural preservation. In her view, the state must also provide guarantees for traditional economic activities that serve as both an identity and a source of livelihood for indigenous peoples.

She added that the processes of modernisation and investment should run in tandem with support for local communities. In this way, development can provide benefits to indigenous peoples without eliminating the living spaces or business opportunities they have managed historically.

“The Indigenous Peoples Bill must become a legal instrument capable of guaranteeing the rights of indigenous peoples to determine the future of their own territories, including maintaining the sustainability of traditional markets as centres of the people’s economy,” Cindy concluded.