Desy Nurhayati, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights has urged the government to give more protection to the rights of indigenous people marginalized by rapid development.

Commission deputy chairman Ridha Saleh said here Saturday the rights of indigenous people had long been neglected due to the government's bias towards developers.

"During the last three decades, there were 1,877 conflicts on land ownership and natural resources. These conflicts were marred by human rights violations," Ridha said in a discussion on the empowerment of indigenous peoples.

He said most of the cases occurred on plantations, or in forest and mining areas.

"The government has neglected the groups' rights by allowing exploitation of natural resources by big corporations."

Raden Rais, a representative of an indigenous group from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, regretted the government's weak protection of indigenous people's rights.

"The government should have been aware that we are inseparable parts of the nation and we are committed to maintain the unity of Indonesia. But the government doesn't respect our existence by taking away our territory," he said.

He added the country also neglected the existence of customary rights and law although they had been effective for a long time.

"If the government doesn't acknowledge our laws, we will not acknowledge the government."

Rinto Thaib, a representative of Ternate Palace, North Maluku, said the government should have empowered indigenous peoples as part of human capital in the development process, instead of undermining their existence.

"Indigenous peoples have local wisdom that has been proven effective in minimizing communal conflicts and has helped settle various problems in society," he said.

Social Services Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah said in a written statement that the government was aware that protection of the rights of indigenous people was still weak.

He said the government was still in the process of drafting a bill on the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples.

Last year, Indonesia joined the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People during the UN plenary session. The declaration is aimed to eliminate discrimination against such groups and to acknowledge their rights.