Rukka Sombolinggi, of the Torajan tribe, became the first woman leader of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN). Even though Indigenous women in Indonesia are subject to intersectional forms of discrimination, they keep on fighting to protect their communities. When Indonesia’s Constitutional Court ruled that Indigenous people have the right to manage the lands where they live, President Joko Widodo committed to taking further steps for its implementation. However, his plans to boost infrastructure may lead to the displacement of more tribes and the violation of their rights. AMAN has prepared a draft law for the effective protection of Indigenous peoples’ rights, which will be a priority for 2017.
