HAkA and MAA Aceh Singkil Hold Book Discussion “Singkil Swamp Is Our Life,” Strengthening the Narrative of Singkil Swamp Wildlife Sanctuary Protection

Banda Aceh, June 25, 2026 – The Aceh Forest, Nature, and Environment Foundation (HAkA) and the Aceh Traditional Council (MAA) of Aceh Singkil Regency held a book discussion on “Rawa Singkil adalah Hidup Kita” (Singkil Swamp is Our Life) at the Ayani Hotel in Banda Aceh on Thursday (June 25). This event provided a shared space to gather input and recommendations on the book manuscript before its publication to the public.

The book “Singkil Swamp is Our Life” is an initiative of HAkA together with MAA Aceh Singkil Regency. It documents the history, ecological conditions, socio-cultural values, local wisdom of the community, and various challenges in maintaining the Singkil Swamp Wildlife Sanctuary (SMRS) as an important part of the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL) landscape. This book emphasizes that the community’s relationship with Singkil Swamp is not only economic, but also an important part of their identity, local knowledge, and way of life that is passed down across generations.

In his remarks, the Legal and Advocacy Manager for Litigation, HAkA Foundation, Nurul Ikhsan, said that the compilation of this book is an effort to maintain the community’s collective memory of the importance of Rawa Singkil Wildlife Sanctuary as a conservation area that has very high ecological, social and cultural value.

“The Rawa Singkil peat swamp forest is not just a peat swamp forest, but a living space for the community and a vital habitat for biodiversity. Through this book, we aim to present the perspectives of the communities that live alongside the area while strengthening efforts to protect it,” said Ikhsan.

Rawa Singkil Wildlife Sanctuary is known as the habitat with the highest population density of Sumatran orangutans in the world. This area is also home to hundreds of flora and fauna species of high conservation value. In addition to its ecological functions as a water reservoir, flood control, and carbon sink, Rawa Singkil Wildlife Sanctuary plays a vital role in supporting the lives of the surrounding communities.

However, this area still faces various threats, ranging from land encroachment, oil palm plantation expansion, and ongoing forest cover loss in recent years. This situation is one of the reasons why it is important to document the community’s knowledge and experience in protecting the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve in this book.

The discussion featured Ahmady as a book author, with responses from Thabrani Yunis as a Literacy Activist and also the Founder of Potret Magazine and Anak Cerdas Magazine who highlighted the importance of strengthening narratives and strategies for disseminating environmental issues to the public, as well as Zakirun Pohan, Chairman of the MAA Aceh Singkil Regency, who emphasized the strong relationship between indigenous peoples and SM Rawa Singkil.

“Describing the current conditions, potential threats faced, various local wisdoms and evolving cultural shifts, the community’s struggle to maintain the ecosystem, conservation campaigns, warnings about the many corporations eyeing wealth, and an explanation of the ongoing damage to the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the main points told in this book,” said the author of the book, Ahmady.

The Chairman of the MAA Aceh Singkil Regency, Zakirun Pohan, assessed that this book deepens a number of historical and local cultural aspects, such as the use of terms that need to be adjusted to the Singkil Language Dictionary, as well as other historical research related to the region.

“In an effort to preserve the Rawa Singkil Wildlife Reserve, it is crucial to promote more integrated management, including regulating access to the area through controlled routes and strengthening customary-based conservation principles. This is intended to ensure the spirit of preservation is realized through a replanting movement for every tree cut down as a form of shared ecological responsibility,” said Zakirun.

He further emphasized that customary rights holders must be directly involved in the management and oversight of the area. He believes that local communities are the ones who best understand the conditions on the ground and can act as the vanguard in protecting Rawa Singkil from various threats of damage.

“The preservation of Singkil Swamp will not be successful without the involvement of indigenous communities and customary land rights holders as a key part of the area’s management system,” Zakirun emphasized.

Representatives from civil society organizations, academics, conservation agencies, local governments, community leaders, students, and various other stakeholders attended the event. Participants provided a variety of input on the book’s substance, writing style, data strengthening, and social and cultural perspectives that needed to be further explored in the manuscript.

Through this forum, HAkA hopes to generate constructive recommendations for improving the book before publication. Furthermore, this discussion is expected to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration in promoting the sustainable protection and preservation of Rawa Singkil.

“Protecting Rawa Singkil means safeguarding biodiversity, local wisdom, and the future of the communities that depend on this landscape. This book is expected to serve as an educational and advocacy tool that can broaden public awareness of the importance of protecting Rawa Singkil,” Ikhsan concluded.

Media Contact:

Nurul Isnina, S.H.
Program Management Unit Assistant, HAkA Foundation
Email: nurul_isnina@haka.or.id