The People of Batin Sembilan Must Also be Healthy
Hak Asasi Manusia, Lingkungan & Krisis Iklim
March 16, 2023
Zulfa Amira Zaed & Jon Afrizal/Jambi
(video complements this article)
SUHAI (70) has been lying in his house for a week in the Kelumpang Group, about 1 kilometer from the Hutan Harapan camp in Jambi Province. He was accompanied by his wife, who was also elderly.
“Penyakit Gulo”, as the indigenous people of Batin Sembilan call Diabetes, has been attacking him since the last few years. But, the worst is 2022, and has made him have to be hospitalized.
Today, in mid-September 2022, is the day that the health workers of the Hutan Harapan camp clinic make regular visits to the homes of indigenous people. The goal is to transfer knowledge about a healthy lifestyle. Because this remote indigenous community (KAT) must also understand the standardization of healthy living like society in general.
“The medicine must be taken regularly, sir,” said Santi Mawarni, a health officer at the Hutan Harapan camp clinic. “But if the pain persists, will we take you to the hospital again, sir?”
Medical treatment is a new thing for indigenous people who are in this first ecosystem restoration area in Indonesia.
For the Batin Sembilan community, they still adhere to the old way of life, namely aninism, dynamism, even though they have embraced Islam. Thus, the method of treatment is still using traditional ceremonies, incantations and herbs from natural forests.
However, is the mandate of the United Nations (United Nations), that health is also their right. So, it takes time to explain it all, with simple language and actions that give them an example of a healthy lifestyle.
Just like the other two major indigenous people groups in Jambi Province, namely the Orang Rimba and Talang Mamak, their dependence on natural forests is very high.
So, if the forest is damaged, it will be difficult for them to find various plants and leaves as a treatment medium.
Like two sides of a coin; forests must be preserved for the ecosystem, but medical treatment must be applicable.
Thus, the standardization of a healthy way of life in the style of modern society sometimes encounters obstacles. Such as their habit of not wearing footwear, the use of ventilation for the house so that ultraviolet rays enter the house, the use of the bathroom or toilet, and the need to use clean water for kitchen purposes.
“This all looks simple to most people. But we also have to explain it according to their understanding. And, of course, it takes time for all of that,” Santi said.
The Hutan Harapan management has implemented regular visits on this healthy lifestyle to the Batin Sembilan community for the past two months. Previously, there had been a health program. But because of the constraints mentioned in the previous sentence, it is only helpful for “those who need medical help”.
The Hutan Harapan clinic is actually not only intended for staff of PT Restorasi Ekoistem Indonesia (REKI) as the manager of Hutan Harapan. However, this health facility is also for the Batin Sembilan community.
“Few of them use it. so we also have to visit houses regularly,” Santi said. This clinic is only a first aid measure.
Furthermore, they will be referred to a hospital in Pijoan sub-district, or even to a hospital in Muaro Bulian City.
In practice, the clinic is also accompanied by health workers from the Pijoan Hospital. Likewise with regular visits to the houses of these residents.
One that is quite new, is related to women’s reproductive health. the clinic formed women’s groups in the Kelumpang Group and the Simpang Macan Luar group. A total of 32 women are collected every week for various sciences related to reproductive health.
“We have obtained knowledge about it from extension workers. and feel that there is recognition from the management of Hutan Harapan for our rights,” said Yuk Nani from the Simpang Macan Luar group.
Hutan Harapan Community Development Division, Muchta Lutfi said this program will continue. especially to the four Batin Sembilan groups that have signed the MoU with Hutan Harapan.
“Slowly but surely, it will go to the other five Batin Sembilan groups that have not yet signed the MoU,” he said.
With a total area of close to 1 million hectares in Jambi and South Sumatra Provinces, this lowland forest is inhabited by around 1,000 Batin Sembilan indigenous people. It is not an easy effort to make them “literate” health. But of course not something impossible. because health is also their right.*
This article is the result of the “Human Right and Safety Woman Journalist in South-East Asia” class by OCHCR from August to October 2022.
