WALHI SEEKING RELEASE OF TRADITIONAL BOAT-BOUND TRIBE

Samarinda, E Kalimantan, Apr 5 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has urged East Kalimantan Police Chief Mathius Salempang to help secure the release of 105 members of the boat-bound Bajau Pela'u tribe from the custody of the Berau district's social authorities.

"We have asked the East Kalimantan police chief to persuade the other local authorities to release about 105 Bajau Pela'u people who have been detained by the Berau district social services office for allegedly being 'state-less' persons," Isal Wardhana, executive director of Walhi's East Kalimantan chapter, said here Monday.

The request for help was sent in writing to the East Kalimantan police chief on April 5, 2010.

"Some 16 international networks and scores of civil society organizations in Indonesia, including Walhi, have expressed concern for the detained Bajau Pela'u people but it seems the law enforcing institutions' support is needed to have them released," Isal said.

The Bajau Pela'u tribe had been living on their boats in East Kalimantan since 1997, namely near Balikukup Island, Tanjung Buaya-buaya and Batuputih village.

"The Bajau Pela'u are a traditional tribe who are unfamiliar with the concept of citizenship. Since the 1980s, they had also been living in the waters of the Philippines, Malaysia, Sulawesi and in the Makassar Strait," he said.

The 105 Bajau Pela'u were arrested by Berau authorities based on information from local people about them being 'stateless' or not having documents indicating their nationality.
Walhi had already tried various ways to help the traditional boatpeople, including a request to the local immigration office to establish their citizenship. "But until now, our effort has not yet borne fruit."
"The condition of the Bajau Pela'u people being held in the auditorium of the Berau social affairs office was now "very concerning," Isal said.

"Many of them have fallen ill because they are not accustomed to living on land. We even also heard from people assisting them that they are only given one meal per day," he said.

Walhi was asking the local authorities to return the 105 Bajau Pela'u people to their boats as soon as possible. The forum also called on the Indonesian and Philippine governments to recognize the existence and the traditional fishing rights of the Bajau Pela'u tribe as stipulated in Article 51 of the International Law of the Seas of 1982, Isal said.