Iqbal Kaplele

My name is Muhamad Iqbal Kaplele, an Indigenous youth from the Sobey Tribe in Sarmi Regency, Papua. Sarmi itself is an acronym for the five tribes inhabiting the region: Sobey, Armati, Rumbuia, Manirem, and Isirawa. Born in October 1999, I am now 25 years old and have dedicated my life to protecting the environment and the rights of Indigenous communities.

Although I briefly studied International Relations in Jayapura, I had to stop my studies due to financial constraints. I chose to return to my village to serve my community and build a grassroots movement. This decision was driven by a serious threat facing one of the tribes in my area from deforestation and nickel mining by a company called PT. Iriani Nickel Mining. Through the consolidation of Indigenous communities, I initiated a protection movement to fight against this threat.

For six years, I have been actively working as an environmental, Indigenous, and climate activist. In 2025, I founded a small community called IPEG (Indigenous Papuan EduGreen) which focuses on waste management and Indigenous issues. I am also involved in various environmental activities with major organizations like Greenpeace Indonesia, UNICEF Indonesia, and Forum Muda Indonesia, as well as the local youth community Papua Trada Sampah. In addition, I work as a freelance content creator. In 2024, I participated in a content creator training program for Indigenous communities by FNDC, Pulsoo Brazil, and Pajuba Diversidade to amplify my voice in the digital sphere.

My journey as an activist has not been easy. One of the toughest challenges is facing the silencing often experienced by Papuan activists by the military, even during peaceful protests. Another challenge is balancing the demands of modernization with the preservation of tradition. However, for me, the greatest achievement is not an award but the successful preservation of a large portion of our ancestral forest from deforestation.

Currently, in 2025, I am focused on a community project in Sarmi to build a Climate Learning House for civil society. My goal is to campaign for climate justice in Indonesia and urge the government, especially the president, to immediately pass the Indigenous Peoples Bill. As a passionate activist, my eternal slogan for every campaign is, “There is no life on a dead Earth; we need justice for the climate.”