‘This is our home’: The women fighting a company’s land claim on Indonesia’s Pari Island

On Pari Island, a small community two hours from Jakarta, women are taking a stand to protect their home. Wina Sabenah, 60, meticulously inspects young mangrove saplings, a vital part of the Pari Island Women's Group's efforts. This group, founded in 2017, works to safeguard the 43-hectare island from a private firm's land claims, ensuring future generations can remain.

"This is our home," Wina stated, emphasizing her commitment to her birthplace. The women's activities, including mangrove planting and beach cleaning, are not just environmental efforts but also a defense against what they perceive as corporate encroachment. Their fight is amplified by the island's vulnerability to rising sea levels, with predictions of significant submersion by 2050.

Adding another layer to their struggle, a landmark case filed by Pari Island residents, including founder Asmania, is before a Swiss court. They are seeking financial compensation from global cement giant Holcim for climate-related losses and demanding a reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions. This legal battle gained global attention, but the underlying land dispute on the island is a long-standing issue.

PT Bumi Pari Asri, a property development company, claimed rights to a large portion of Pari Island in 2014. The company asserts it legally obtained numerous freehold certificates and right-to-build permits, covering about 90 percent of the island. Islanders and rights groups, however, challenge the validity of these claims, highlighting the ongoing tension between community preservation and corporate interests.

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I joined (the) Pari Island Women’s Group to hold onto my birthplace and so that my children and grandchildren can also continue living here. This is our home.