Indigenous Community Insitution (LMA) facilitated tribal assembly of Moi sub-tribe, Moi Klabra, to get acknowledgment from three Clans, namely Blon, Gisim, and Koso, at Klarin Village, Konhir District, Sorong Regency, West Papua, on 8 October 2022.
Tribal assembly invited the neighboring clans living surrounding their customary areas. Some clans attending the assembly were Khan Subujek, Kamuru Sflo, Kamuru Miswri, Tediel Hrat, Tediel Esfat, Kilmi Syatbul, Kilmi Wlian, Saden Momtsan, Saden Fle, and Saden Wenbabri.
The assembly was also attended by the government of Sorong Regency, tribal leaders, clans leaders, youth figure, women notable figures, and village heads at Konhir District. Yehut Gisim, Konhir District staff, in his opening remarked the risk of palm oil plantation that once threatened their areas in 2015. Yehut questioned the palm oil company operating in their customary areas without coordinating with the customary rights holders.
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“If you come to our land without acquiring permit from us and bring damages to our areas, please leave us,” said Yehut at the time. He reminded the community to keep defending their customary areas as the legacy for their future generation.
The tribal assembly was chaired by three figures, namely Gideon Kilmi as the Chairman of Konhir District LMA, Silas Kalami as the Chairman of Malamoi LMA, and Yohanis Galus as the tribal leader of Moi Klabra subtribe. Those three leaders chaired the assembly by calling the customary rights holders. In this assembly, Blon, Gisim, and Koso Clans elaborated the data of areas and physical natural landmarks. They also presented several witnesses from the neighboring clans with their customary areas.
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Blon Clan has 332.71 hectares plots of customary land, Gisim Clan has 490.47 hectares, and Koso Clan 1,540.74 hectares. They presented the data with reference to the existing landmarks such as rivers, mountain, spring water, trees, village, and sacred spots.
The chairman of tribal assembly summoned Blon Clan and its neighboring clans, namely Saden Fle, Saden Momtsan, Kilmi Wlian, Kilmi Syatbul, Gisim, and Koso, to verify the truth of the customary land data. After passing several queries, the neighboring clans acknowledged that the areas on the map were really the property of Blon Clan. The chairman concluded and validated the discussion on Blon Clan customary areas.
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In the next session, the chair summoned Gisim Clan and its neighboring clans, namely Blon, Saden Fle, Saden Klama, and Koso, to verify the given data. Gisim Clan then explained the boundaries of their customary property which was confirmed by the neighboring clans. The chair concluded the discussion on Gisim Clan’s customary rights.
In the last session, the chair summoned Koso Clan to verify the data of customary property rights. The neighboring Clans, namely Saden Klama, Khan Subujek, Kamuru Sfulo, Kamuru Miswri, Tediel Hrat, Tediel Esfat, Kilmi Syatbul, and Koso, confirmed the data without expressing any objection. The chair then concluded the verified customary rights of Koso Clan.
“Village community should keep backing the assembly process until the issuance of Decree so that there will be no disrupted information. They should get comprehensive information to provide comprehensible customary land mapping for the customary rights holder and its neighboring clans,” said Silas O Kalami, the Malamoi LMA Chairman.
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As to Silas, the result of tribal assembly serves as the required document to get acknowledgment of property rights from the local government as stipulated by the Regional Bylaw (Perda) No. 10/2017 and Sorong Regent Regulation (Perbup) No. 6/2020.
Meanwhile, the other assembly chairperson, Yohanis Galus from Moi Klabra subtribe, said that the agreed acknowledgment has been witnessed by the nature and ancestors. “We should keep the harmony inherited by the ancestors of Moi Klabra,” said Yohanis. When there was no longer objection from all parties, Gideon officially concluded the tribal assembly for customary rights acknowledgment of Blon, Gisim, and Koso Clans. The results of tribal assembly will be made into a dossier for joint agreement among customary rights holders and the neighboring clans. The Malamoi LMA will issue recommendation letter as the letter for validated data which will be verified by the Committee for Indigenous People (PMHA) as stipulated by the Sorong Regent Decree No. 224/KEP.408/XI/2021 at the regency level prior to the issuance of Decree on Customary Land Ownership.
