Celine Lim

DTP alumna Celine Lim is an Indigenous peoples rights and environmental advocate based in Sarawak, Malaysia. She is the Managing Director of SAVE Rivers, a grassroots movement that defends Indigenous peoples’ land rights and environmental sustainability in Malaysia.

Celine and her organisation have been at the forefront of resistance against destructive industrial projects, including logging and hydroelectric dams. It should be noted that a recent report by Human Rights Watch and Sarawak-based groups warns that rapid deforestation from timber and oil palm industries is endangering the state’s environment.

So in this context Celine’s work is vital and challenging.

In 2022, SAVE Rivers successfully defended itself against a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) filed by a major Malaysian logging corporation.

Celine also credits the Diplomacy Training Program (DTP) for equipping her with the knowledge and skills needed to counter the lawsuit effectively. One of the key strategies Celine and her team employed was engaging with the UN system, particularly through the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor.

“My understanding of the UN mechanisms and Special Procedures started through DTP training. This understanding allowed my team and I to successfully engage with the UN and bring global attention to our legal battle. This international pressure ultimately forced corporate and government actors to withdraw the lawsuit.”

Celine views this as a success story of collective resistance and people-powered advocacy.

Celine first engaged with the DTP in 2018 when she was a participant in its regional Indigenous Peoples rights training program in Sabah, Malaysia.

In Celine’s view DTP not only equips activists with knowledge but also creates a lasting community of solidarity and shared purpose.

“DTP didn’t just introduce me to new knowledge—it connected me to a network of professionals who continue to support SAVE Rivers work. We still keep in touch. Many of my closest connections are with DTP alumni from Malaysia, who are also part of our national human rights defenders’ network and coalition. Even during our SLAPP lawsuit, they were among the first to check-in, ensuring we had the resources and support we needed.”

She encourages DTP to continue strengthening alumni engagement, stating, “Just continue doing what you’re doing. As you connect everybody, a lot of things will organically happen as well.” She believes that the collective knowledge, resources, and solidarity of DTP alumni are instrumental in advancing human rights work in the region.

With a background in mechanical engineering and theology, Celine, an Indigenous Kayan from Sarawak-Malaysia, was formerly a youth pastor and a school vice-principal which allows her to bring a multidisciplinary and solutions-based approach to her activism.

Her work continues to influence environmental policy and Indigenous rights discourse in Malaysia and beyond.