INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF SUNDOY CLAN, ABUN TRIBE, TAMBRAUW REGENCY AGREE TO CLOSE SASI
The Sundoy clan's indigenous community agreed to conduct Close Sasi. Close Sasi in the Abun language means Nat Gato Tom Fowa which is a ban on the taking of natural resources in the customary agreement area to maintain sustainable natural resource management. The sasi in the Sundoy clan language is called Mensina Menjawa. Sasi is a form of traditional conservation that can be carried out by the community to maintain the natural potential that exists in the community area, in practice when sasi is enforced the community agrees to protect and not take natural resources at the location of the agreement, the opening time of sasi will be agreed upon together in a periodic form according to what will be taken from marine products while the land sasi is forever.
The sasi area has an area of approximately 9,056.1 hectares which is divided into 8,360.5 hectares for land sasi, and 695.6 hectares for sea sasi. So it has been agreed that there will be restrictions on the taking of natural resources in the area which will begin on June 26, 2024, this restriction on the taking of natural resources aims to restore the natural resources around the Weyos area.
According to Juzak Sunday, this Sasi needs to be done to limit the taking of natural resources in the forest and the sea". Juzak continued, "So in the next few years the ways community will not find it difficult to find natural products, because there are already deposits in nature so that they can be maximally utilized later".
Before this case was established, in the same month, the implementation of the Sundoy clan's Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) for 2024 was conducted. WWF Indonesia Papua Program collaborates with local partners and independent experts from one of the relevant community leaders. So there is a division of labor roles for each of those involved in the process of mapping the Sundoy clan's customary area. WWF Indonesia Papua Program as a companion institution facilitates the mapping activities of this customary area so that it can run smoothly and according to the planned schedule.
The Sundoy Clan Customary Territory Mapping activity aims to find out and provide clarity on the boundaries of the customary territory with clans that intersect or are directly adjacent to the Sundoy Clan. This process is carried out using the FPIC method with the hope that each owner of the Customary Territory will jointly provide clarity on the boundaries which will later be poured in the form of a Map with document reinforcement, namely the Minutes agreed upon by each owner of the customary territory and witnessed by stakeholders and institutions that assist in this process.
This sasi agreement was also born from a collaborative discussion process at the clan level, especially the Sundoy clan and the clans that intersect with the Village Government. From the discussion process, it was found that the practices of taking natural products that are not environmentally friendly still often occur.
Meanwhile, Wika A. Rumbiak, Head of the Forest and Wildlife Papua Program, WWF Indonesia Foundation during the sasi closing ceremony said that in Papua, there are many types of traditional conservation with various designations, such as Kadup in Wondama Bay, Nat Gato Tom Fowa on the coast of Tambrauw to Tasamu Rawanang in Asai village.
Ms. Wika further explained, "In addition to providing technical support, we also support the revitalization or strengthening of local values that are strong in the community. Thus, these groups connect and find effective local solutions for sustainable, resilient, and collaborative management with local governments, universities, development partners, and indigenous communities", concluded Wika.