While a recent project initiated in Northern Sumatra has put local people at the centre of conservation efforts, in Borneo, villagers have used a conference to highlight how they seem themselves as being ignored by NGOs when they are planning and operating projects on their island.

“My name is Janas. But first, I would like to remind you that you forgot to mention the name of our village, which is hosting our meeting today.” These were the opening words of Acoi Janas, a 62-year old Dayak speaking at an orang-utan conference in Central Kalimantan.

Apparently the master of ceremony had mentioned in his introductory speech the names of all the villages whose residents were invited to attend the meeting, except Janas’.

Frustration

Janas’ joking rebuke was a more lighthearted take on the overall sentiment that was expressed by many villagers. Others spoke more angrily on how some of them have lost land for farming or their homes as a result of conservation projects expanding, but also the frustration at the unwillingness of some NGOs to involve local people in the day-to-day running of conservation projects.

The conference was being held partly to address some of these concerns, with representatives of NGOs such as WWF, Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS), Orangutan Foundation International (OFI), Orangutan Conservation Services Program (OCSP), the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA), and palm oil company Agro Group all attending alongside people from local villages.

It is surprising that Janas’ village’s name could have been forgotten, as it is home to around 32,000 orangutans, or more than 60 percent of the island’s total population of the great apes.

Welfare

But while there is no doubting the great work that NGOs are doing on the island of Borneo for the orang-utans, the villagers want their own welfare to be recognised.

“BOS has been operating here for more than 10 years,” Janas explained, “But I think you haven’t been paying enough attention to the local people. You have set up a special clinic for orangutans, but none of you care about our welfare.”

A schoolteacher in a nearby village claimed that local people were suffering as a result of some of the conservation projects. He revealed that many people who planted their crops in certain zones for generations found they had to hand over their plots of land as the Sebangau National Park expanded.

Conservation

It is easy to see why the people of Kalimantan would be upset at this treatment, but in the same way as Save the Rhino have responded to criticism by explaining that they are not responsible for wide-ranging welfare projects, but ensuring that their limited resources can be targeted at specific conservation projects that can actually make a difference.

Togu Manurung, the chairman of BOS, said locals should differentiate between NGOs, the government, and private companies.

“They are different in terms of functions. Our job as an NGO is to rehabilitate orangutans. That’s our main task. So, it’s not our job to improve people’s health or empower locals. That’s the government’s job. Here, we’re partnering with the government to help conserve orangutans,” he said, “But we will take on board some of your feedback on prioritizing locals to source goods and services.”

Sustainable

This last point is one great positive that may be taken from this conference. If you look around the world, you will find that the most successful conservation projects work with locals to develop sustainable local industries that promote the conservation of local wildlife.

Janas appeared eager for this to happen in Kalimantan, saying in his speech how NGOs should help empower locals by prioritizing them as potential workers, and think of them as partners who can provide goods and services for their programs. If this does happen, then it will bring benefits to local people, the NGOs and most importantly to the animals of Kalimantan.