Jakarta, February 15, 2024 – Issues of justice and disparities in forest and land ownership have always become political commodities in every change of government. Both during the 2019 election between Prabowo Subianto vs. Joko Widodo, as well as in the last presidential debate on Sunday, February 4th, 2024, which raised themes of Social Welfare, Culture, Education, Information Technology, Health, Employment, Human Resources, and Inclusion.
Following the general elections held by the KPU on February 14th, 2024, the challenge for future leaders is to realize justice for all Indonesians and address the disparities in forest and land ownership in Indonesia so that they are not merely political commodities.
Are the statements made in each debate merely attacks on political opponents or are they facts showing the asymmetrical information indicating that the wealth of Indonesia is controlled by only a selected few individuals?
For example, Candidate 01, Anies Baswedan, highlighted the issue of inequality that needs to be the focus of improvement in this country. According to him, the highest problem in Indonesia is disparity, inequality, and injustice. Even in the economic sector, a handful of people control most of Indonesia’s economy.
Candidate 01 confidently desires unity supported by justice because unity cannot happen in inequality. Unity requires a sense of justice.
“Our mission, firmly, is to create a healthy, intelligent, prosperous, cultured, and united nation. Our commitment is focusing on the development of the Indonesian people, bringing equality and justice so that there will be unity and change,” said Anies.
Candidate 02, Prabowo Subianto, presented his national transformation strategy intended to improve the prosperity and quality of life of the people. Through this strategy, Prabowo is showing his commitment to addressing various issues such as high maternal and child mortality rates, malnutrition, extreme poverty, and increasing agricultural production. He targets a 1.5 to 2 percent improvement in the quality of life of the people.
“Our enemy is hunger, our enemy is the people’s difficulties, we must overcome them, we build a strong Indonesia, fair, prosperous, safe for all, fair for all,” said Prabowo.
Candidate 03, Ganjar Pranowo, made three promises, which are to be obedient to God, to be obedient to the law and justice, and to be loyal to the people. According to him, these promises are the answer to various complaints from the people who have often been disappointed by their leaders.
“We must no longer allow disappointment to be repeated and the people’s anger then arises so that then they become apathetic. And this time, give the vote for consistent candidates, visionary, who can listen to the people, statesmen, reformists, and have no problematic issue,” said Ganjar.
Ganjar also highlighted the public’s concerns about nepotism practices among government officials, which prioritize family interests above all else, including the interests of the people.
At the closing of the debate, each candidate couple voiced the principle of justice for the Indonesian people and the urgency of the state’s presence in addressing every issue at the grassroots level.
Portrait of Land Ownership in Eastern Indonesia
Sweet promises are being thrown around regarding the realization of justice and welfare for the people to achieve their goal, which is to be the leader of Indonesia. Economic disparities, land monopolies, and the privatization of natural resources are indeed key indicators of social welfare issues in Indonesia. Real cases have occurred where information regarding forest and land ownership disparities is asymmetrical. The public is confused by the use of data and information about forests and lands as political commodities.
Forest Watch Indonesia’s Campaign, Advocacy, and Media Manager, Anggi Putra Prayoga, said that the key point is transparency regarding data and information on forest and land ownership, which tends to be unevenly distributed or controlled by only a few individuals. Transparency is the key to achieving justice in addressing forest and land ownership disparities.
In this context, it becomes clear that the statements made to the public have not been able to verify the true truth.
This is portrayed in the state of forests in Eastern Indonesia, which includes the land and water of Maluku and Papua. Eastern Indonesia is the last fortress in preserving the natural resources of Indonesia. Moreover, this region is also the living space for indigenous communities who have been preserving the existing ecosystems and biodiversity for centuries.
A major challenge arises when most of this space has been allocated for permits and investments, leaving little room for indigenous communities. Without the application of the principles of PADIATAPA, it is difficult to create a narrative of justice in Eastern Indonesia. As a result, environmental damage increases, and the living space of communities is increasingly threatened.
FWI notes that large corporations have already taken control of land and waters in Eastern Indonesia. In North Maluku Province, forests and lands have been taken over by 44 mining business licenses (IUP) for nickel and 1 work contract.
The total land area allocated according to Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) records is 201 thousand hectares. Tens of the largest permits were given to PT. Weda Bay Nickel covers 45 thousand hectares, PT Halmahera Sukses Mineral reaches 7,726 hectares, 1,000 hectares to PT Tekindo Energi, PT Karunia Sagea Mineral covers 1,225 hectares, and PT First Pacific Mining covers 2,080 hectares.
In Papua, based on FWI records, on average, the corporate group can control 6 to 10 percent. 6 corporate groups control forests and lands in Papua, namely KLI Group (632 thousand hectares/10%), RGM Group (549 thousand hectares/8%), Sinar Wijaya (547 thousand hectares/8%), Alamindo Group (460 thousand hectares/7%), Korindo Group (417 thousand hectares/6%), and Masindo Group (406 thousand hectares/6%).
Oil palm plantations also control the Eastern Region of Papua. Based on econusa.id reports, several Oil Palm Business Permits in 2018 issued by district governments and the West Papua Provincial Government, the area of operational/active oil palm plantation concessions in West Papua Province alone reached 759,156.6 hectares.
Stagnation in Realizing Justice in Eastern Indonesia
The land and forest ownership situation that is happening in Eastern Indonesia is a portrait of disparity. Therefore, indigenous communities assert their rights over agrarian resources that are managed in a just manner as a form of recognition. The current approach is considered insufficient to consider the interests of indigenous communities, even disregarding their rights to determine their fate.
Based on FWI records, in the Aru Islands Regency, Maluku Province, indigenous communities continue to struggle against authorization in the form of various large companies that want to take control of areas belonging to indigenous people. A long history of tenurial conflicts is highlighted, where the Aru indigenous communities have long fought against various large-scale land investment plans such as cattle farms, sugar plantations, and carbon trading.
Carbon trading efforts such as the Melchor Group in the Aru Islands Regency have at least sparked controversy by encroaching on indigenous land for business purposes. However, since arriving in the Aru Islands in 2022, the Melchor Group has never conducted socialization regarding its main business related to carbon trading to the community. Melchor’s side only mentioned plans for mangrove crab farming and seaweed cultivation in several villages in the districts of Central Aru, East Central Aru, and East North Aru.
This is a concrete example of how business interests often disregard the rights of indigenous communities and have an impact on social and environmental injustices. Large corporations distort information to be able to control indigenous land.
Conclusion
Disparities in forest and land ownership reflect the state of natural resource governance in Indonesia. Efforts to achieve justice and equality in the management of natural resources must be based on the principles of transparency of current data and facts so that anyone who becomes the next leader has a better understanding of realizing justice, which is the essence of the Ideology of Pancasila.
Information data that circulates during political moments often only serves as political commodities and cannot accurately depict the actual situation. Transparency is the key to capturing the state of forests and lands that illustrate the high level of forest and land ownership by large corporations, which in fact harm indigenous communities. The low rate of recognition and protection of indigenous rights in Eastern Indonesia must be the main focus.
FWI highlights the importance of transparency in disentangling forest and land ownership disparity problems to achieve justice in the management of natural resources. Accelerating the recognition of indigenous communities in Eastern Indonesia is one concrete form to realize the ideals of Pancasila, namely social justice for all Indonesians.