Adat Movements for Environmental Justice: the Case of Benoa Bay Bali

¹ Department of History, Faculty of Humanities, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia
² Social and Cultural Research Center, Indonesian Research Institute, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: slametsubekti01@gmail.com

Abstract

This paper is the result of a literature study on environmental justice, adat movements, and adat perspectives of Tri Hita Karana related to the Benoa Bay reclamation project, and in-depth interview with the coordinator of ForBALI I Wayan "Gendo" Suardana. The discussion begins on environmental justice is a central issue in Indonesia. Then the discussion of the Benoa Bay reclamation project into a tourist development area, which has the potential to threaten maritime conservation and loss of livelihoods of local residents. Furthermore, the discussion about Tri Hita Karana as adat perspectives that underlies the movement of indigenous peoples to reject reclamation project. Finally, the discussion about the ForBALI movement as a representation of indigenous peoples who reject the reclamation project in Benoa Bay. Based on the discussion it was concluded that, adat movements through ForBALI has temporarily succeeded in thwarting the reclamation project at Benoa Bay by PT TWBI. The adat perspective on Tri Hita Karana became the philosophical basis of the ForBALI movement. The ForBALI movement has succeeded in integrating the environmental movement, political movement and cultural movement into the spirit of resistance of indigenous peoples in facing the hegemony of the power of neoliberal capitalism.