Sovereignty, Impunity, and Environmental Harm: A Rights-Based Critique of Wildlife Trafficking in Indonesia
Indonesia is a key hotspot for illegal wildlife trafficking. Despite national laws and international commitments, enforcement against this transnational crime remains inconsistent, especially when state actors such as members of the military (TNI), police (Polri), or other state apparatus are involved. This reflects a broader culture of impunity. This research explores how nationalist interpretations of sovereignty, particularly as expressed in the rhetoric of President Prabowo Subianto, e.g., “kita adalah bangsa besar” and “antek asing”, serve to deflect international scrutiny, weaken civil society, and obstruct legal accountability for environmental harm. Drawing on Paul Gordon Lauren’s critique of sovereignty as a shield for human rights abuse and John Knox’s framework linking environmental degradation to fundamental rights, this study reframes wildlife trafficking as not only an ecological or criminal issue but a violation of human rights. Through legal analysis, discourse evaluation, and case studies of state actor involvement in wildlife crime, the paper examines the mechanisms through which impunity is sustained in Indonesia’s legal and political landscape. In a context where Indonesia is not a party to the Rome Statute, the research investigates alternative avenues for accountability through soft law instruments, human rights mechanisms, and strategic domestic reform.