It has been more than 15 years since the House of Representatives officially proposed a bill on the legal protection of indigenous people. However, lawmakers have been unable to begin deliberations, as the government has not submitted its assessment of the bill. The government’s reluctance to submit its assessment has meant the deliberation of the bill has been put hold, leaving indigenous people vulnerable to eviction as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo seeks to attract foreign investment, including into the extractive sector. The bill, which has been included on the list of 34 bills in the National Legislative Program (Prolegnas) for 2020, would provide recognition of the customary laws of indigenous communities in certain matters, such as the management of natural resources and the distribution of inherited land. The bill would also provide indigenous communit...