When they are forced to drink polluted water, their health is compromised, even their lives are threatened. “Traditional medicines that we used to take from the forest are now hard to come by because the forest has been taken by PSN,” said a woman who used to look for medicinal plants.

Before the company came in, they did not experience the difficulties they do now. The presence of PSN has made indigenous peoples poorer and marginalized from their own land, forests and water. “This is a form of structured deprivation of life, which has an impact on the slow extermination of indigenous peoples (genocide), PSN is not present to improve the welfare of indigenous peoples, but to create conflicts between families, between family members-between children and fathers, children and mothers, and between brothers and sisters.”

 Women and the Deprivation of Living Space in PSN Areas

In Merauke, South Papua, PSN projects that continue to displace the customary forests of the Malind tribe have a major impact on women and children. “We, women, who have been in direct contact with customary forests and customary land to maintain, cultivate, and preserve sources of life, are now losing everything,” said a Mama, a Malind woman.

One of the biggest impacts of these evictions has been the loss of animals such as deer, tree cuscus and birds. “Before PSN came in, we could easily hunt in the customary forest, but now the animals are almost extinct,” she added. “Climate change is getting more extreme, temperatures are rising, and agricultural yields are dropping dramatically. As a result, women experience a double burden physically and mentally.”

The fate of the children is even worse. “How can we send our children to school if we can’t earn enough from our farms?” asked Mama. “We can only afford to send them to high school. For higher education, we can’t afford it.” All the children’s dreams and aspirations are buried because of PSN, which is in the name of people’s welfare but actually deprives indigenous peoples of their rights.

 Papua is Not an Empty Land

Papua, especially the South Papua region, is not an empty land. “We, the indigenous people, have been here for a long time, long before Indonesia’s independence, customary forests, customary land, and water belong to us, not to the state. There are humans living here, there is a legal owner.”

During the Merauke Solidarity Declaration on March 11-14, 2025, the victims urged the government, especially President Prabowo and Vice President Gibran, to immediately withdraw the National Strategic Project (PSN) from South Papua’s customary land.

“We also demand the local government and provincial government of South Papua to seriously address the issue of deprivation of our living space,” a Mama continued. “Don’t turn a blind eye to the suffering of indigenous peoples! The government exists because of indigenous peoples, they should listen, empower and fulfill our needs, not sacrifice us for corporate interests.”

Indigenous peoples’ expectations are clear: PSN victims must unite regardless of clan or tribal differences. “Women and children must be involved in this struggle. We must move forward together to reject PSN from the indigenous lands of South Papua and continue to create campaign spaces to reject the presence of PSN,” Currently, the project is even perpetuated by the presence of the military, which aims to control and destroy the living order of the indigenous people of South Papua.

But we will not be silent. “We will continue to fight for our land, forests and lives,” said a Mama victim of land grabbing.

Linda Mote
Perempuan Mahardhika Manokwari