Indonesian community influences policy
IIRR shares successes in policy advocacy

Sand mining is no longer allowed in Teluk Sepang because of a successful community campaign to save its coastline. In 1998, 420 families in Indonesia were resettled because their ocean-side community was threatened by wave surges. In their new community of Teluk Sepang, they were exposed to a different kind of threat to their livelihoods posed by sand mining. The loss of sand causes protective coastal trees to fall and coastlines to erode.Fallen logs washed out to sea prevent local fishermen from using their equipment, resulting in decreased catches.Sediment from erosion stifles coral reefs, impacting fish breeding grounds. The families of Teluk Sepang soon noticed that ordinary local fish were beginning to disappear.

National policies exist to protect coastal forests in areas like Teluk Sepang.However, in 2000, a local mayoral decree allowed for the issuance of sand mining permits to private companies. Despite five years of community disapproval over the mining concessions, the permit system was extended in 2005.

With support from IIRR and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the local branch of WALHI Indonesia launched an environmental advocacy campaign in 2006 to save the coast of Teluk Sepang.A multi-phased strategy was employed, including data analysis, multi-stakeholder meetings, community capacity building and media involvement, which culminated in a series of government hearings.As a result, the mayoral decree was repealed, and the threat to Teluk Sepang has been reduced.

IIRR and its funding partner IDRC have been building policy advocacy skills in several organizations throughout South and Southeast Asia.This is one of several regional action research initiatives that IIRR is documenting and sharing to enable community-based natural resource management practitioners to meet environmental and social development goals.

Posted on: November 2007