Indonesia mega tourism project in Mandalika runs into human rights controversy

Thursday, March 9, 2023

Mandalika’s development includes parks, resorts, hotels, and a motorbike racetrack that will host international sporting events. It is situated on the island of Lombok, in the West Nusa Tenggara Province.

The $3 billion project is being carried out by the Indonesia Tourism and Development Corporation (ITDC), a state-owned corporation, with money provided mostly by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

According to the experts, they have received disturbing reports of suspected human rights abuses committed by police and military authorities, including the use of excessive force to evict and limit the rights of the indigenous Sasak people.

According to specialists, a task force for the expeditious resolution of land disputes associated to the project, comprising of members from both the police and the provincial army, has intimidated and compelled indigenous people to relinquish their properties.

“The Indonesian government must ensure that any actions taken concerning the Mandalika project are not excessive and immediately provide victims with access to effective remedy,” they said in a recent statement.

They also urged the Indonesian government and the AIIB to guarantee that their policies and procedures adhere to international human rights standards, particularly UN recommendations on development-based evictions and displacement.

The government was also advised to remove members of the security forces from the task group tasked with resolving land disputes.

“Only then can affected communities and human rights defenders safely raise their concerns about the negative impacts of the project,” said the experts. 

Meaningful consultation must take place at all levels of project development, and indigenous peoples’ free, prior, and informed permission must be acquired in accordance with international norms, they stressed. Additionally, the AIIB and state authorities should provide standard operating procedures for security personnel involved in the project so that impacted communities may report any noncompliance.

The UN specialists have expressed their concerns to Indonesia, ITDC, AIIB, and concerned commercial enterprises with bases in France, Spain, and the United States, as well as their respective governments.

The 10 experts that produced the declaration include five United Nations Special Rapporteurs whose mandates encompass issues such as extreme poverty, human rights, and indigenous peoples’ rights.
Other signatories include members of the United Nations Working Group on Human Rights, as well as multinational businesses and other corporate entities.

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts work in their own right. They are not UN employees, and they are not paid for their job.

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