The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is "concerned" about the Indonesian government's failure to respect the rights of indigenous people in their own forests and the increasing conflict between local people and palm oil plantations.

A letter from the committee to the Indonesia's Permanent Mission in Geneva said that the country's government had also failed to provide information on the way it had followed up recommendations laid out by the committee in August 2007, despite being asked to do so within one year.

It also urged Indonesia to review its laws. "The high number of conflicts arising each year throughout Indonesia between local communities and palm oil companies remains an issue for the committee, in particular with regard to the protection of indigenous' people's rights."

The letter, dated March 13 and obtained by the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday, further says that it has recently been brought to the committee's attention that oil palm plantations continue to be developed in the Kalimantan border region, "without any apparent attempt by the state to comply with the committee's recommendations or to otherwise secure and protect indigenous peoples' rights."

Indonesia's Indigenous People's Alliance, or AMAN, welcomed the committee's statement, saying it was further evidence of the growing international concern about the issue, particularly as it relates to local people's rights to own and control their traditional territories.

"AMAN urges the Government of Indonesia to respond by ensuring that it effectively implements the committee's recommendations and by providing accurate and timely reports to the committee that show the actual situation on the ground," a statement released by the group said.

The committee, in its letter, said it had been informed that Indonesia still lacked effective legal means to recognize, secure and protect indigenous peoples' rights to their land and resources.

"For example, it seems that Indonesia's 2008 'Regulation on Implementation Procedures for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation' reiterates Law 41 of 1999 on Forestry which appears to deny any proprietary rights to indigenous peoples in forests."

The regulation, or REDD, aims to cut carbon dioxide emissions through a system of carbon trading that would provide financial incentives to preserve forests.

The letter said that the UN again urged Indonesia to "review its laws," as well as "the way they are interpreted and implemented in practice, to ensure that they respect the rights of indigenous peoples to possess, develop, control and use their communal lands."

Abetnego Tarigan, director of Sawit Watch, expressed concern about the recent detention of three indigenous Dayak Ibans in West Kalimantan Province who were arrested for opposing oil palm plantations encroaching on their traditional land.

He called on the government to take measures to end repressive actions against indigenous peoples in handling conflict.