The Faculty of Law at Gadjah Mada University (FH UGM), through its Department of Customary Law, hosted a public lecture titled “The Adaptation of Customary Law in Addressing Natural Resource Extraction and Commodification in Papua” on Wednesday (August 20, 2025). This event marked the first session of the Customary Law course for the Fall 2025/2026 semester and took place in the Auditorium of Building B at FH UGM, with a live stream available on the FH UGM Knowledge YouTube channel.
The public lecture featured three leading experts in their respective fields: Dr. Agr. Laksmi Adriani Savitri, M.Si. (Researcher at the Center for Restoration and Regeneration Studies/CRRS), Nailul Amany, S.H., M.H. (Lecturer in Labor Law at the Faculty of Law, UGM), and Almonika Cindy Fatika Sari, S.H., M.A. (Lecturer in Customary Law at the Faculty of Law, UGM). The discussion was moderated by Dr. Airin Liemanto, S.H., LL.M. (Lecturer in Customary Law at the Faculty of Law, UGM).
In their presentations, the speakers highlighted the challenges faced by Papuan indigenous communities as a result of the extraction and commodification of natural resources—ranging from issues of customary land tenure and the vulnerability of indigenous people working as palm oil laborers to changes in food culture in the Malamoi region. This discussion underscored that customary law is dynamic and adaptive, and thus must be understood not only as traditional norms but also as a legal system capable of interacting with the interests of the state, corporations, and the international community.
This event was attended by undergraduate students taking the Customary Law course and those taking concentration courses in the Department of Customary Law: Customary Family Law, Customary Inheritance Law, and Recognition of Customary Law Communities. However, this public lecture was open to all UGM Faculty of Law students interested in the topics presented.
In addition to enriching the learning experience, this activity also supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The topics discussed align with SDG 15 (Terrestrial Ecosystems) regarding the protection of forests and customary lands, SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) through the recognition of the rights of vulnerable indigenous communities, and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) with an emphasis on legal certainty, substantive justice, and the strengthening of customary law institutions.
Through this public lecture, the UGM Faculty of Law reaffirms its commitment to continuing to serve as a critical yet solution-oriented academic space in addressing issues of customary law and sustainable development in Indonesia, particularly in Papua.
