Lestari Moerdijat urges legislative reforms for trafficking and indigenous rights

Lestari Moerdijat, Vice Chairperson of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), is advocating for two major legislative reforms in Indonesia to address urgent humanitarian and social issues.

First, she is pushing for the revision of Law Number 21 of 2007 regarding the Eradication of the Crime of Human Trafficking (TPPO). Moerdijat noted that trafficking methods have evolved into modern slavery, often utilizing digital platforms and social media. She highlighted that the crime now targets highly educated individuals, including university graduates in information technology, suggesting that education alone does not prevent exploitation.

Second, Moerdijat is calling for the immediate passage of the Indigenous Peoples Bill (RUU Masyarakat Hukum Adat). Citing data from the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), she described a "humanitarian emergency" in which 11.7 million hectares of indigenous territory have been lost and 162 indigenous citizens have been criminalized. She emphasized that the lack of legal certainty leaves indigenous communities vulnerable to corporate exploitation and land conflicts.