A new report published today by Forest Peoples Programme and partners shows how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an alarming spike in forest loss in Indonesia and has been used to defend one of the biggest legislative changes in the country’s history – the Omnibus Bill. These sweeping de-regulation laws rollback on already weak protections for the archipelago’s indigenous population and leaves their lands increasingly vulnerable to appropriation.
This is particularly concerning considering investors’ and international financial institutions’ (IFIs) endorsement of mega-projects across Borneo, which now have a greater mandate to arbitrarily annex indigenous lands in the name of ‘public interest’ because of the Omnibus Law.
Recourse is campaigning to ensure IFIs such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank respect the rights of indigenous peoples in their policies. FPP calls on IFIs to: