Tribal communities to hold congress

JAKARTA: The Tribal Communities Alliance Across the Archipelago (AMAN) is scheduled to hold its second congress next month, to discuss issues concerning the daily lives of tribal members.

As many as 1,081 tribal delegates are expected to attend the congress, which is to be held at Tanjung village, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, from Sept. 19 to Sept. 24.

Nobel laureate Rigoberta Mancu of Guatemala is scheduled to attend the congress as an observer.

Raden Bestari, the alliance leader, said on Friday the tribal communities had long demanded the government reinstate their communal rights.

"Most of our members complain about state violations on their lands and the difficulties they face due to their beliefs," he said, adding that the alliance was also seeking donations from the government to help finance the meeting.

AMAN comprises 1,004 tribal communities and 12 million people living on communal land across the country. -- JP