Bulungan Regency Government Asked To Support Recognition Of The Indigenous Legal Community Of Benau Sajau

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TANJUNG SELOR - The Indigenous Legal Society (MHA) of Punan Batu Benau Sajau in Tanjung Palas Timur District, Bulungan, North Kalimantan (Kaltara) asked the Regency Government to continue to provide protection and fight for the status of customary forests in the residential area of the Punan Batu Benau tribe in Sajau village.

This was revealed by Makruf, one of the residents of Punan who lived in the forest.

"The forest we live in was disrupted due to oil palm plantations. I and other residents found it difficult to get food from around the forest," he said, Wednesday, June 12.

He hopes that the Kalpataru award for the category of Environmental Rescue given to MHA Punan Batu Benau is a form of the government's commitment to maintain forest sustainability.

"Almost 10 years the source of food in the forest has begun to decrease, such as fish, honey, tubers and hunted animals," he explained.

Responding to this, the Regent of Bulungan, Syarwani said, the Bulungan Regency Government (Pemkab) will fight for the status of customary forests in residential areas and the cruise area of MHA Punan Batu Benau Sajau.

His party has submitted a proposal to determine the status of customary forest areas through a social forestry scheme to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (LHK).

"The status of this customary forest is to ensure the protection of settlement areas and the cruise area of MHA Punan Batu Benau Sajau," said Syarwani.

Then, MHA will have the authority to preserve the environment and the cultural originality of the Punan Tribe.

"When it has been designated as a customary forest area, anyone who comes will certainly follow the customary law held," he said.

Foreign parties will be obliged to respect the customary rules set by the Benau Sajau Benuan Tribe.

"When the public states that outsiders who enter must wear clothes like the clothes they wear, I (the regent) must also respect," he said.

Syarwani explained that currently the Regency Government is processing four proposed MHA confessions.

One of the proposals came from Punan Dulau Village in Sekatak District. Technically, the Bulungan Regency Government already has Regional Regulation Number 12 of 2016 which regulates the MHA recognition mechanism.

"We already have a mechanism in accordance with the mandate of the regional regulation which must be fulfilled together, one of which is the formation of a committee," he explained.

"Four proposals for MHA recognition are said to have met the administrative requirements. We make sure to give equal treatment to all incoming proposals," he concluded.

Previously, the Bulungan Regency Government held a convoy of Kalpataru by including dozens of MHA residents, Punan Batu Benau Sajau, wearing traditional clothes.