AMAN
AMAN (Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara)
AMAN (Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago) is the largest and most influential Indigenous peoples’ organization in Indonesia. Founded in 1999, it represents Indigenous communities (masyarakat adat) across thousands of islands and ecosystems in Indonesia.
AMAN’s core identity is rooted in defending Indigenous sovereignty, customary land rights, and traditional governance systems, particularly in the face of land conversion, extractive industries, and state-led development projects.
The organization operates as a national movement with strong regional chapters, making it one of the most extensive Indigenous networks in the Global South.
What do they do?
AMAN works at the intersection of climate justice, land rights, and ecosystem protection, focusing on:
- Recognition and protection of Indigenous customary territories (wilayah adat)
- Legal advocacy for customary forest (hutan adat) recognition
- Resistance to land grabs by mining, palm oil, logging, and infrastructure projects
- Strengthening Indigenous governance and customary institutions
- Capacity building for Indigenous communities in mapping, legal literacy, and environmental management
- Advocacy in national and international climate and biodiversity negotiations
Their work directly links land tenure security with climate mitigation, emphasizing that protecting Indigenous land is one of the most effective climate strategies in Indonesia.
Leadership
AMAN is led by Indigenous representatives elected through its congress system (KMAN), which serves as the organization’s highest decision-making body.
Key figures include Abdon Nababan, former Secretary-General (2007–2017) and internationally recognized Indigenous rights leader, as well as Ramon Magsaysay Award laureate.
AMAN’s National Council is composed of Indigenous leaders representing different regions of Indonesia.
This governance structure is notable because it is community-elected through Indigenous membership assemblies rather than appointed externally, strengthening legitimacy and accountability.
Why is AMAN effective?
- Direct impact on forest conservation and emissions reduction
Indigenous-managed lands in Indonesia consistently show lower deforestation rates. AMAN’s work in securing legal recognition of these lands has a direct climate mitigation impact.
- Landmark legal and policy achievements
AMAN has played a central role in advancing the recognition of hutan adat (customary forests), including the Constitutional Court decision that separated customary forests from state forests—an important legal milestone for Indigenous rights and forest protection.
- Strong grassroots legitimacy
AMAN represents thousands of Indigenous communities, making it one of the most grounded and widely trusted civil society actors in Indonesia.
- Climate justice leadership
AMAN frames climate change as a rights and justice issue, ensuring that Indigenous voices are included in national climate strategies, REDD+ discussions, and international COP negotiations.
- International influence
AMAN is actively engaged in global platforms such as UNFCCC processes and biodiversity conventions, strengthening Indonesia’s Indigenous representation in global climate governance.
Key strengths in climate action
- Protects high-carbon ecosystems (tropical forests, peatlands, mangroves)
- Reduces emissions through prevention of land-use change
- Preserves biodiversity hotspots critical to global climate stability
- Strengthens climate resilience through Indigenous knowledge systems
- Provides a rights-based alternative to top-down conservation models
Contact
Rumah AMAN
Jl. Tebet Timur Dalam Raya No.11A
Tebet Timur, South Jakarta 12820, Indonesia
Tel: +62 21 829 7954 / +62 21 837 06282
Email: rumahaman@aman.or.id
This Post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Indonesia Country Manager, Netra Naik.