"Indigenous communities have demonstrated their ability to preserve natural resources and biodiversity through traditional practices and local wisdom," said Monika Maritjie Kailey, an Indigenous advocate from Aru attending COP16.

"We have repeatedly defended our forests and seas from extractive industry threats. It is time for the Indonesian government and the global community to recognize the role of Indigenous communities in protecting biodiversity by ensuring fair resource mobilization," she added.

The call for biodiversity protection in the Aru Islands also comes from Indigenous youth on the islands. Through their peaceful action, they are demanding serious government commitment to protect biodiversity, including revoking extractive permits that threaten biodiversity and accelerating the implementation of local regulations recognizing Indigenous rights.

Johan Djamanmona, coordinator of the peaceful action in the Aru Islands, stated, "Being Aru is not just a right; it is a duty. Protecting Aru means safeguarding life for the Aru people. Today’s action is a statement of the Aru Indigenous communities and youth’s struggle to reject environmentally harmful investments in Aru and to urge the central government to revoke all existing forest exploitation permits in the Aru Islands."

At COP16 CBD, discussions on recognizing Indigenous communities’ contributions to biodiversity conservation have been complex, especially concerning respect for Indigenous and Local Community Rights, essential within the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) agreed upon two years ago.

Indigenous communities at COP16 are urging countries to fully acknowledge their contributions to biodiversity conservation and to establish a permanent Subsidiary Body focused on Article 8j, covering traditional knowledge, innovation, and practices in biodiversity conservation.

However, some countries, including Indonesia’s delegation, have opposed this proposal, despite Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities' significant contributions toward KM-GBF targets.