The Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI – Friends of the Earth Indonesia) is the largest forum of non-government and community-based organisations in Indonesia. It is represented in 25 provinces and has over 438 member organisations (as of June 2004). It stands for social transformation, peoples sovereignty, and sustainability of life and livelihoods. WALHI works to defend Indonesias natural world and local communities from injustice carried out in the name of economic development.
Human beings have always been the focus of WALHIs fighting in defending the environment. Local communities and indigenous peoples often become victims of unjust treatment under the name of economic development.
During 25 years of struggle, WALHI and the communities have:
– helped grow awareness of environmental issues and promote the sovereignty of local communities and indigenous peoples in managing natural resources.
– become the vanguard of the environmental movement in the country and become a significant part of the global environmental movement.
– advocated problems of marginalized people to the attention of the lawmakers, who in turn take grassroots problem into consideration when deliberating laws.
– supported the struggle of grassroots communities of maintaining their rights to a healthy environment and to self-management of the natural resources.
– become the major source of information about environmental problems in Indonesia for the press, industry and lawmakers.