Social justice, sustainability and conservation from a community perspective: A Case from Selayar, Indonesia

The conventional approach to conservation is a top down initiative, driven by conservation NGOs that see serious threats to biodiversity or endangered species and sustainability of particular resources, and supported by... [ view full abstract ]

The conventional approach to conservation is a top down initiative, driven by conservation NGOs that see serious threats to biodiversity or endangered species and sustainability of particular resources, and supported by governments. The government agencies in charge of conservation, with NGO encouragement – establish conservation areas by excluding local people from the territory concerned. This approach tends to fail or at least meets serious resistance from the community on the grounds of social justice and food security issues. The community considers the delineated space and the resources therein as their source of livelihood, and in many cases their right under customary law. Closing the area is considered unjust, so communities resist, negating the conservation objectives. This paper will present an unusual case from Selayar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, where the very same reasons; social justice, sustainability and food security are used by communities to establish conservation areas and coastal management in their village waters. Interestingly, this initiative was triggered by a conflict between the communities and outsider fishers, and the failure of government to facilitate a resolution. The government incapability of resolving the conflict is due to both limited human resources and inconsistent regulations in coastal fisheries. Ironically, the latter also constrains the establishment of the community-based conservation and coastal fisheries management.