Who’s Destroying Borneo’s Forests? The Corporate Takeover of Dayak Lands

 

The ones responsible for destroying Borneo’s nature and ecosystems are mining companies, logging corporations, and, more recently, palm oil plantations. Photo credit: Rmsp.

PONTIANAK- dayaktoday.com: According to renowned Indonesian cultural expert Moctar Lubis (1980, p. 9), the indigenous people of Borneo have been practicing shifting cultivation for over 10,000 years. This traditional farming method, known as ladang, has sustained the Dayak for millennia without harming the environment. 

Unlike large-scale agriculture, Dayak farming is rotational and allows the land to regenerate naturally. It is a deeply rooted tradition that aligns with their respect for nature and their spiritual connection to the land.

Up until the 1970s, Borneo’s forests remained largely intact, providing a rich and balanced ecosystem that supported both wildlife and indigenous communities. However, rapid deforestation due to logging, palm oil plantations, and large-scale agriculture has drastically changed the landscape. 

The expansion of these industries has not only threatened biodiversity but also disrupted the traditional livelihoods of the Dayak people, challenging their centuries-old farming practices.emained lush and untouched, with a well-balanced ecosystem. Rivers flowed clean, wildlife thrived, and the indigenous communities lived in harmony with their surroundings. 

Read When the Traditional Farmland of the Dayak is Challenged

The forests provided everything the Dayak needed —food, medicine, and materials for building their homes. There was no large-scale destruction, no massive clear-cutting, and no loss of biodiversity. The Dayak way of life ensured that nature remained intact for future generations.

Then came industrial logging. Large companies, often backed by foreign investors, arrived in Borneo to extract valuable hardwoods such as ironwood and teak. 

The forests, once standing for centuries, were rapidly cut down and shipped overseas. With little concern for sustainability, these companies cleared vast areas, leaving behind barren landscapes. The Dayak, who had always seen the forest as their home, were suddenly faced with environmental degradation on an unprecedented scale.

After the loggers, the miners followed. Mining operations for gold, coal, and other minerals further scarred Borneo’s landscapes. Rivers once teeming with fish became polluted with mercury and chemicals from extraction processes. 

Entire hills were leveled, and the soil, once rich and fertile, was left poisoned. The local communities bore the brunt of this destruction—losing access to clean water, experiencing declining fish populations, and watching their ancestral lands being stripped away.

And then came the palm oil plantations. These companies burned and bulldozed what was left of Borneo’s forests to make way for endless rows of oil palms. Unlike traditional farming, which allows forests to recover, palm oil plantations replace diverse ecosystems with monocultures, permanently altering the landscape. The effects have been devastating: disappearing wildlife, worsening climate change, and indigenous communities being displaced from their lands.

Read The Dayak's Journey of Adaptation and Resilience

Despite these facts, shifting cultivation—practiced by the Dayak for thousands of years—is often falsely blamed for deforestation. This narrative is not only misleading but also dangerous, as it diverts attention from the true culprits. Traditional Dayak farming does not clear forests permanently. It is a cycle of planting and fallowing that ensures the land remains productive while preserving biodiversity.

A quick look at a satellite map of Borneo proves this point. The only remaining green areas—the last standing forests—are where the Dayak still live. These are the regions untouched by industrial exploitation, where indigenous wisdom has protected the land for generations. If traditional farming were the problem, Borneo would have been barren long before industrial activity began. Instead, the real damage has been caused by corporations, mining companies, and large-scale plantations.

The destruction of Borneo’s forests is not just an environmental crisis—it is also a human rights issue. The Dayak have lived on this land for thousands of years, yet they are often pushed aside in the name of “development.” Their voices are ignored, their lands taken, and their way of life threatened. Instead of blaming them, it is time to recognize their role as the true guardians of Borneo’s forests.

Criminalizing the Dayak in Their Own Land

But the injustice doesn’t stop at environmental destruction. The Dayak are increasingly criminalized for simply living their traditional way of life. In Ketapang, West Kalimantan, Dayak individuals have been arrested for taking wood from their own ancestral land. Meanwhile, in Sintang, several Dayak farmers have been detained and put on trial for practicing traditional farming methods that have sustained their people for generations.

Read Dayak Bukan Berasal dari Yunnan tapi dari Gua Niah: Ini Bukti Ilmiah Uji-karbon 40.000 Tahun Silam

Facing such pressure and criminalization, the Dayak are not staying silent. They continue to stand up for their rights, their land, and their way of life. But how much longer will the world allow corporations and industries to destroy what’s left of Borneo’s forests while the true guardians of the land are treated as criminals?

The Corporate Takeover of Dayak Lands

The dispossession of Dayak lands is not accidental—it is the result of systematic policies and corporate greed. Large corporations, often backed by government policies favoring industrial expansion, have been seizing indigenous lands under the guise of “development.” 

Timber companies claim legal ownership over forests that have been managed sustainably by the Dayak for centuries. Mining and palm oil companies are granted concessions with little to no consultation with local communities. When the Dayak resist, they are labeled as obstacles to progress, facing intimidation, arrests, or worse.

The consequences of this land grab are devastating. Entire communities are being uprooted, forced to relocate, and stripped of their traditional livelihoods. Sacred sites, ancient forests, and sustainable farmlands are being replaced by extractive industries that contribute nothing to local well-being. What is left is environmental ruin, social upheaval, and a deep sense of injustice.

The legal framework often works against indigenous land rights. Despite international recognition of indigenous land claims, local laws are frequently manipulated to favor corporations. 

The Dayak, who have lived on these lands for thousands of years, find themselves legally classified as trespassers on their own ancestral territories. This blatant legal manipulation further marginalizes them and denies them the right to their own heritage.

Resistance and Resilience: The Dayak Fight Back

Despite the immense challenges, the Dayak are not giving up. Across Borneo, indigenous activists, community leaders, and allies are organizing to defend their rights. Legal battles are being fought to reclaim ancestral lands. 

Grassroots movements are emerging to protect forests and challenge corporate encroachment. International advocacy efforts are raising awareness about the injustices faced by the Dayak and calling for policy changes that respect indigenous land rights.

Read Long Midang dan Misteri Era Megalitikum

One of the most powerful tools of resistance is the preservation of culture. By continuing their traditions, language, and rituals, the Dayak reaffirm their identity and connection to their land. Community-led initiatives promoting sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism, and reforestation are proving that there is an alternative to destructive industrial practices.

Solidarity is also growing. Environmental organizations, human rights groups, and indigenous rights movements worldwide are recognizing the Dayak’s struggle as part of a larger global fight for indigenous sovereignty and environmental protection. As awareness spreads, the pressure on corporations and governments to respect indigenous rights increases.

The battle for Borneo’s forests is far from over, but the Dayak have shown remarkable resilience. Their fight is not just about land —it is about justice, survival, and the future of one of the world’s most vital ecosystems. 

If we want to protect what remains of Borneo’s rainforests, we must stand with the Dayak, amplify their voices, and demand accountability from those responsible for their marginalization and dispossession.

-- Masri Sareb Putra