Sea nomads in Southeast Asia. Photo: Diana Suhardiman.
15-06-2025
Interview with Wengki Ariando about the impact of industrial development on the Suku Laut (sea nomads) community in Indonesia. In Batam City, Riau Islands province, Indonesia's National Strategic Projects (PSN) are profoundly impacting the Suku Laut community in the Air Mas, Tanjung Sauh area, pushing them further into marginalization.
KITLV researcher Wengki Ariando tells the IDN Times about the rapid expansion of industrial zones is directly encroaching upon the traditional living spaces and livelihoods of this indigenous maritime group.
This development has led to the loss of their customary territories and traditional means of sustenance, posing a severe threat of cultural genocide and biocultural destruction. Furthermore, the Suku Laut face increasing marginalization and criminalization as their traditional practices come into conflict with modern industrial land use.
This situation highlights critical political ecological challenges inherent in large-scale development, where economic growth often comes at the severe expense of indigenous communities and their intimate relationship with their environment.
The interview in Indonesian can be read on the website of IDN Times: