Indonesian tribes who want internet blocks

The three inner villages, collectively known as Baduy Dalam, have limited contact with the outside world.

Lebak district government’s head of public affairs, Anik Sakina, said Wednesday whether the Baduy elders intentionally wanted an internet void just in Baduy Dalam or to include the entire outer village. said it was unknown.

“We are waiting for time to meet with the Baduy Customs Council,” she said. “We would like to have that meeting to clarify.”

Indonesia’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno said the Jakarta government is also involved in the response to Baduy.

“We are coordinating it and following requests that have been communicated to us by community elders,” Uno said.

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“The tourist village we have developed is located outside of the core area of ​​Baduy. Internet connection is still difficult, but we have no particular requests. [to block internet access there]. ”

Saija, a spokesman for the Baduy people, who share the same name as many Indonesians, told the masthead on Wednesday that the elders were also unhappy with tourists going to the inner villages to take pictures. He said he violated the rules against bringing cameras and mobile phones. with them.

By shutting off the internet, the Tribal Customs Council was trying to “minimize the negative impact of gadget use on people.”

In a letter first reported by AFP, the Baduy leaders said “the ease of access to information is also felt by tribal communities, which are required to follow their ancestral traditions according to customary rules.”

“The existence of smartphones that can be owned by all people, including the Baduyi, is believed to cause moral decadence for our generation. [the ones] People who have access to a variety of antitraditional and uneducated applications and content.

“We recognize that it is impossible to go against the progress of the times, and we will follow and support technological progress as long as it does not contradict tradition. We must choose to ensure that the products of progress do not damage or undermine our legal and cultural order.”

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