Borneo Project

Borneo Project The Borneo Project is a nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1991 that engages in environmental conservation, indigenous rights, and human rights work related to the island of Borneo. It operates within a network of international NGOs, indigenous organizations, and academic institutions to influence policy in national capitals and multilateral forums such as the United Nations and the International Criminal Court. The organization collaborates with partners across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei and maintains relationships with funders, think tanks, and university research centers.

History

The organization emerged from activism linked to campaigns surrounding the Kalimantan deforestation crises of the late 1980s and early 1990s, responding to logging concessions, plantation expansion, and hydropower proposals in regions like East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. Founders drew on networks developed during advocacy directed at corporations such as Suisei-era timber companies, transnational campaign strategies used by groups like Greenpeace and Rainforest Action Network, and legal strategies informed by cases brought before the International Court of Justice and ASEAN human rights dialogues. Early efforts included documentation of alleged rights violations affecting communities associated with the Dayak peoples, coordination with academic researchers at institutions such as University of California, Berkeley and Australian National University, and lobbying of donor governments including the United States and members of the European Union.

Mission and Objectives

The stated mission emphasizes support for indigenous communities and environmental protection across the island territories of Kalimantan (Indonesia), Sabah, and Sarawak in Malaysia, and the sultanate of Brunei. Objectives include advocacy for recognition of customary land titles like adat systems, contestation of large-scale extractive projects such as coal mining concessions and palm oil plantations operated by corporations listed on exchanges in London and Hong Kong, and pursuit of legal redress through mechanisms associated with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and complaint procedures under the International Labour Organization conventions. The group also seeks to influence multilateral finance via engagement with institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

Programs and Activities

Programs encompass community-based mapping initiatives modeled after participatory methods used in projects associated with Global Witness and Survival International, training workshops drawing on methodologies from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and campaign coordination with policy advocacy standards practiced by Oxfam and the World Resources Institute. Activities include production of investigative reports, media outreach leveraging outlets like Al Jazeera and The Guardian, and strategic litigation inspired by precedent from cases such as those heard in the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The organization has supported community campaigns opposing infrastructure projects linked to transboundary environmental impacts similar to controversies over the Mekong River Commission dams and has partnered with regional NGOs like KASAMBAH-affiliated groups, indigenous federations modeled after the Asian Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Network, and student movements akin to those at Universiti Malaya and University of Indonesia.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The organizational model combines a small core staff based in the United States with an advisory board drawing expertise from legal scholars at Harvard Law School and environmental scientists associated with Smithsonian Institution and Woods Hole Research Center. Governance reflects nonprofit norms paralleling those of organizations registered with the Internal Revenue Service under 501(c)(3) statutes, while partnerships are maintained with regional legal clinics similar to those at Universitas Gadjah Mada and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Funding streams historically included philanthropic grants reminiscent of grants from foundations like the Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation, project support from bilateral agencies such as USAID and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and occasional campaign donations coordinated with crowdfunding platforms and activist networks comparable to Avaaz. Financial audits and donor reporting practices mirror standards promulgated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and international watchdogs such as Charities Aid Foundation.

Impact and Controversies

The organization has been credited by partners with contributing to increased international attention on deforestation in Borneo, influencing policy debates in forums like the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and prompting corporate commitments from palm oil suppliers listed on exchanges including the New York Stock Exchange to adopt traceability measures akin to Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil standards. Its work has also intersected with litigation efforts that reference jurisprudence from the European Court of Human Rights and domestic cases in Indonesia and Malaysia concerning land rights. Controversies include criticisms from industry associations similar to the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and allegations from some state actors alleging external interference reminiscent of disputes involving NGOs during sessions of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. Debates persist over effectiveness, with academic assessments drawing comparisons to impact evaluations conducted for groups like Conservation International and charitable effectiveness reviews by organizations such as GiveWell.

Category:Non-profit organizations