Tribal communities to hold congress

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