THE EXISTENCE OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF DECENTRALIZATION

Abstract

Decentralisation entails delegating authority from the central government to local governments to improve the effectiveness of public services and governance-related decision-making. Decentralisation grants regional governments the autonomy to formulate policies tailored to local community needs. In practice, the implementation of decentralisation involves not only the general public but also indigenous communities, whose existence is recognised under Article 18B, Paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. This study focuses on indigenous communities' involvement in implementing decentralisation, specifically in policy formulation and regional development based on natural resource management. The study used a mixed-methods approach, using observation, interviews, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), supported by primary and secondary data. Our findings show that indigenous communities are frequently relegated to the status of policy objects rather than active participants, effectively denying them equal opportunities to engage in decision-making. However, field findings reveal that the role of indigenous communities in natural resource management is becoming increasingly visible and is contributing to regional development. Therefore, local governments must strengthen indigenous community participation in policy formulation to foster inclusive and sustainable development.