Indonesia’s decision to move its capital from Jakarta to a new city in East Kalimantan excluded local and indigenous communities from the planning process. Now, Nusantara—an internal colonial project in disguise—threatens their land, culture and livelihoods.
Author Archives: Sahnaz Melasandy
Sahnaz is a community organiser, researcher and freelance translator based in Indonesia. She spends most of her time reading, and is passionate about human rights, social movement, gender, literature and arts. She co-founded a book club called LiteraSEA focusing on Southeast Asian literature, with members based in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Posted inFeature
Pushed From National Parks, Forest-Dwellers Defend Land and Customs
From Thailand to Indonesia, indigenous people who have lived off the land for centuries are struggling to preserve their forest homes and customs. But as states create national parks and forcibly evict forest-dwellers, their ties to ancestral land are cut.
Posted inExplainer Comic
Media Work as Resistance
A graphic summary of New Naratif’s study of media freedom in Southeast Asia, drawn from media workers’ experiences and challenges.
Posted inResearch
Envisioning Media Freedom and Independence: Narratives from Southeast Asia
A qualitative exploratory study of media freedom in Southeast Asia, centring on the voices of independent media workers in the region.