New pledge, old problems as Indonesia’s latest Indigenous forest promise draws skepticism

BELÉM, Brazil — Indonesia has pledged to recognize the rights of Indigenous and customary communities to 1.4 million hectares, about 3.5 million acres, of forests by 2029. It’s a move the government says will help curb deforestation and protect Indigenous rights. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni made the announcement Nov. 4 at the United for Wildlife Global Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where it was welcomed as a sign of progress. But back home, activists have panned it as yet another promise that will go unfulfilled by a government that continues to displace Indigenous peoples through its development projects. “Indigenous peoples are the true guardians of Indonesia’s tropical forests — the front line in protecting a sustainable and just planet,” Raja Juli wrote on his X account, adding that