Over 250 indigenous peoples, local communities and various civil society organizations from all over Indonesia announced the Merauke Declaration on March 11-14, 2025 in Merauke, South Papua, rejecting various National Strategic Projects (PSN) throughout Indonesia.

Merauke Solidarity Coordinator, Franky Samperante, said that since the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 3/2016 on the acceleration of PSN development, instead of bringing prosperity to the people, this project has actually triggered many problems such as for indigenous communities.

"Our next task is to expand the Merauke Solidarity movement and continue to reject and fight against PSN, as well as other projects in the name of national interests that clearly sacrifice the people, and in fact only benefit a handful of people," Franky said as quoted by Katadata.co.id on Sunday, March 16, 2025.

The problems that arose due to the PSN project are now being continued by President Prabowo Subianto, who has just established 77 PSNs.

Although since the era of Indonesia's 7th President Joko Widodo, it has been crossed off the PSN list, the threat of land grabbing and living space and violations of community rights are considered not to immediately disappear.

"We demand a total halt to projects in the name of other national interests that clearly sacrifice the people. The perpetrators of state-corporate crimes must return all stolen people's wealth and immediately restore the health and living space of the people in all areas that were sacrificed in the name of national interests," the declaration reads.

They include the Rempang Eco City project in the Riau Islands, the Indonesian National Capital City (IKN) project in East Kalimantan, the Poco Leok geothermal project in East Nusa Tenggara, the Energy Plantation Forest and bioenergy extractive industry in Jambi, various PSN projects in Fakfak and Bintuni Bay, West Papua, as well as the expansion of oil palm plantations throughout Papua.

Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Atnike Sigiro, who was present at the declaration, said that throughout 2020-2023, her institution recorded at least 114 cases of complaints related to PSN which allegedly violated human rights in various forms. She said Komnas HAM has also submitted a number of recommendations to the relevant ministries and institutions.

"In reality, Komnas HAM recommendations are not always followed, but it is very important to make recommendations. Because if not, we do not continue what the public complains to the government or to the responsible party," Atnike said.

Deputy Minister of Human Rights, Mugiyanto Sipin, promised to carry out the demands so that they would then be submitted to various ministries/institutions related to PSN.