The Orang Rimba Indigenous Community or Suku Anak Dalam is one of the Remote Indigenous Communities (KAT) in Jambi that traditionally lives in forest areas. Currently, they are still experiencing marginalization since the forest, which is their livelihood, has disappeared due to forest conversion policies. The Orang Rimba have faced various complex challenges, ranging from basic needs such as education, health, to land rights and access to increasingly limited natural resources.
The transition from a nomadic lifestyle to a settled lifestyle also raises new issues. Such as the lack of skills to adapt to the socio-economic system that exists in the general public and the problem of social stigma that is still strong.
In the context of empowering the Orang Rimba, a number of villages in Merangin Regency have shown concern for the Orang Rimba indigenous community. These villages have attempted to provide a space for social integration of the Orang Rimba and support their empowerment efforts, both through support for the provision of basic services, skills training, and access to health services. However, limited village funds are often a significant obstacle in realizing sustainable empowerment programs.
"To overcome these challenges, multi-stakeholder support is needed, including from the district government, the private sector, and civil society. This cross-sector collaboration is very important, considering the complexity of the problems faced by the Orang Rimba cannot be solved by village efforts alone," explained Haryanto, KKI WARSI.
Affirmative policy in this case through the allocation of special funds from the Merangin Regency government to the central government is a strategic opportunity. Responding to this issue, in collaboration with the Merangin Regency PPPA Social Service, KKI WARSI held a Workshop on Affirmative Policy Support for Marginalized Groups of the Suku Anak Dalam or Orang Rimba in order to realize inclusive regional development in Merangin Regency. This activity was held at the Merangin Syari'ah Hotel, on December 11-12, 2024.
Also present were a number of village heads whose areas have Orang Rimba, as well as Regional Government Organizations in Merangin Regency, and also private parties who support the empowerment of Orang Rimba. This meeting also discussed policies that are responsive to the needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups in Merangin Regency, as well as encouraging synergy between local governments, civil society organizations, and various other stakeholders in implementing these policies discussed and formulated in the workshop activities.
Robert Aritonang, Program Manager of KKI WARSI, emphasized the importance of integrating the Orang Rimba into the public service system.
"We hope that there will be an affirmative policy to support a service system that works to serve the basic needs of the Orang Rimba, because if the Orang Rimba are not included in this general system, then they could endanger themselves or others, such as the Orang Rimba taking crops belonging to residents, begging, and other actions that are generally considered criminal acts," said Robert.
The Head of Pelakar Jaya Village shared his experience of good practices in supporting the empowerment of the Orang Rimba in Pelakar Jaya Village.
"We have involved the Orang Rimba in village development, but this is not enough due to limited village budgets, so it would be more optimal if there was strengthening of affirmative support to support villages that have Orang Rimba," said Ayep, Head of Pelakar Jaya Village.
On that occasion, the Regional Secretary of Merangin Regency explained the importance of the district's affirmative policy focused on empowering the Suku Anak Dalam or Orang Rimba. This is a form of appreciation for villages that have provided support for empowerment for the Suku Anak Dalam or Orang Rimba group.
"We hope that affirmative policies can create various programs that are in accordance with their needs, including increasing access to education, health, and economic empowerment that can improve the quality of life of the Orang Rimba and Suku Anak Dalam indigenous communities. In this workshop, we hope to discuss concrete steps that can be taken to realize this," said Ir. Fajarman, M.Sc. Regional Secretary of Merangin Regency.
Bito Wikantosa, SS. M.Hum. Expert Staff of the Minister of Villages-PDT highlighted the importance of strengthening support for the empowerment of remote indigenous communities such as the Orang Rimba, through policies that are in favor.
"Good practices in empowering the Orang Rimba carried out by KKI Warsi together with the village government in Pamenang is a model that deserves to be appreciated and strengthened. This synergy needs to be supported not only by the Regency Government, but also by the central and provincial governments, so that the impact is broader and sustainable," said Bito.
The workshop also became a discussion space for various parties, including representatives of village governments, civil society organizations, the private sector, and other stakeholders. An important point resulting from this workshop was the need for affirmative policies from the Merangin district government to support empowerment programs. Remote Indigenous Community of Orang Rimba by following up on the formation of an affirmative policy formulation team, then strengthening collaboration through a cross-sector coordination forum by reviving the Merangin Regency KAT Working Group which is no longer active and will be followed up by the Merangin PPPA Social Service which handles KAT affairs.
By strengthening collaboration and supporting affirmative policies, the relevant parties not only support the Orang Rimba to achieve a more prosperous life, but also strengthen Merangin Regency's commitment to social justice and the preservation of cultural values that have long been part of the nation's identity.
The support of the district's affirmative policy will not only ease the burden on the village government, but also strengthen the synergy between the empowerment programs that have been running. So that the funds can be used to improve access to education and health, by facilitating education for Orang Rimba children through the provision of special teachers or skills training for adults.
In addition, it can also be used to strengthen the local economy and protect rights and equality by increasing awareness of the rights of the Orang Rimba while reducing stigma through socialization and public campaigns.
Through this affirmative policy, it is hoped that villages that have committed to supporting the empowerment of the Orang Rimba can run their programs more effectively and sustainably. This approach not only strengthens the position of the Orang Rimba in regional development, but also becomes a strategic step for Merangin Regency to realize truly inclusive development.
This activity also emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration to ensure that all elements of society, including indigenous and marginalized groups, have equal access to resources and development benefits. Merangin Regency reaffirmed its commitment to becoming an inclusive, just, and sustainable region for all its citizens.
