Natural Resource Network Formed

Yesterday I included an article on how the government of Indonesia is undermining community land rights. It appears now that a network was set up to promote a better understanding of common property rights, which they said would work to reducing rural poverty, land conflicts and environmental degradation.

The network will be made up of local and expatriate delegates with a knowledge of resource management in Indonesia including water rights according to expert Bryan Burns and forestry expert Sandra Wentzel.

The network's working group coordinator, Aceng Hidayat, was quoted as saying "We want to bridge communication between so many institutions that have been in involved in studies on community-based natural resource management which is the core issue of common property studies, to make it applicable and understandable for the prosperity of the people"

Aceng continued "The government has failed in managing our natural resources by applying only an economic approach - exploitation - that downplays communities' rights to commonly manage the environment. This is not an optimum approach that fails to improve the people's welfare"

Aceng said the network planned to establish relationships with the government" businesses and communities to better manage the country's abundant natural resources.

All well and good but will the profits be maximised and certain portions of the profits returned to the traditional owners of the land. Only time will tell and in Indonesia who knows.