The National Working Meeting of the Fifth Congress of the Indigenous Peoples Alliance�of the Archipelago�will be held once more�on 14-17 March 2018 in Wanua Koha, Minahasa District, North Sulawesi Province, with the theme �Strengthening the Organisation to Ensure the Fulfillment of Indigenous Peoples' Rights by the State in realising political sovereignty, economic independence and cultural dignity.�

The Fifth�AMAN National Working Meeting�(or Rakernas) is one of the decision-making mechanisms mandated by the AMAN Statutes after the Indigenous Peoples' Congress of Nusantara (or�KMAN). Rakernas�is also a means to review and evaluate AMAN�s progress�as an organisation after�KMAN V, the fifth Congress�that was held in Medan, North Sumatera in March 2017.

Rakernas will be attended by AMAN�s central office�(including AMAN�s�Secretary General and the National AMAN Board), 21 AMAN Regional Executive Officers,�and 116 AMAN Regional Administrators (including the Chairman of�the�Daily Implementing Agency and AMAN Regional Board) who are�spread throughout�most of the archipelago. In addition, Rakernas�will also be attended by the 3 AMAN wing organisations, 3 AMAN autonomous bodies and the entire network of the AMAM organisation.

AMAN�s wing organisations are�the Indigenous Women�s�Association (PEREMPUAN AMAN), the Indigenous Youth Association (BPAN) and the Indigenous Peoples Defenders Association (PPMAN). In addition, AMAN's autonomous bodies include the Indigenous Peoples Registration Board (BRWA), the AMAN Independent�Producers Cooperative (KPAM) and�the Indigenous Peoples Education Foundation (YPMAN).�Government representatives and supporters of the Indigenous Peoples Movement of the Archipelago, from both the national�level and�the local level,�will be present during the implementation of�Rakernas.

The Chairman of the Rakernas Organising�Committee, Nedine Helena Sulu, revealed that Rakernas will be attended by around 500 people�from Aceh to Papua. �The committee has prepared about 100 houses in Wanua Koha�(Koha Village) �to accommodate�participants during the Rakernas�proceedings,��continued Nedine.

The Public Dialogue of Indigenous Peoples and various workshops will be held during Rakernas�to discuss thematic issues of special concern to Indigenous Peoples. The discussion of thematic issues will involve speakers representing the central government�and�local government and experts, who will speak on�their respective areas of expertise. In addition to the General Dialogue and several workshops, Rakernas�will also include�Organisational Sessions to discuss the development of AMAN�s�organisation at the local, regional and national levels;�the development of AMAN�s�membership; AMAN central office�s�budget; the strategic plan of AMAN�s 2018-2020 work program;�and the�recommendations and strategic decisions that are necessary to respond�to the situation that�Indigenous Peoples in Indonesia currently face.

Most of the Rakernas proceedings including�the General Dialogue, Workshops�and Organisational Sessions�will be based in Wanua Koha. The main highlight of Rakernas will�be the Celebration of Indigenous Peoples beginning with the Indigenous Cultural Festival on March 17, 2018, based in Fort�Moraya, Tondano, Minahasa. This�celebration�will�simultaneously�commemorate the Anniversary of�the�Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago and the 19th anniversary of AMAN as an organisation.

From�its�initial�establishment on March 17, 1999 until today, AMAN�s membership�has grown to consist of�2,342 indigenous communities with a population of about 16-18 million people.

�