The act of deforestation in
Indonesia due to “clearance sale” or concessions for plan plantation and mining
in the period of the New Order up till now had exceeded the ‘achievement’ by
the Dutch colonial regieme. Through the Vereenegde Oost Indiesche Companie
[VOC] the Dutch Government had axed millions of hectares of forest in all of
Indonesia, but the Indonesia Government since the days of the New Order till
now had damaged 64 million of forest. “deforestation seemed not enough, enter
the Violation of human rights on custom communities” Bondan Andriyanu Chairtman
of the National Geo Data disclosed to Business News [4/8].
The easy issuance of concession permit was contradictory
to the principle of Natural Resource Management [SDA], while the GDN, through
the application of Spatial Geodata System would publish accurate mapping and
information to all parties. The system was integrated into CSO Geodata system.
“We do not wish this Republic to become a Republic of Concession permit. So
easy did the Government, central or provincial to give away concession permit.
Evidently plantations and mining had damaged our forest”
GDN had mapped out some regions in Kalimantan which were
eroded by palm plantations and mines. Data of Ministry of Forestry has it that
forest destruction had begun since the application of HPH concession regieme.
The condition of forest in East Kalimantan, South Kalimantan was critical. The
land being given away had reached hills and mountains. People’s communities
were edged asides. Coal mines, iron mines and palm plantation prevailed. Land
possession had even reached lakes and swamps,” We are trying to map out the
land. Land dispute might burst out any many time. Public land overlap with
plantations and mining”
The people around mining sites tend to be edged asides,
and overruled by big size investors. The Government tend to stand on the side
of big investors not on the people who owned land willed to them generation
after generation. “The people have the right to process land and manage natural
resource. Conflict potentials which was once latent now had become manifest.”
The next Government, especially when Jokowi Widodo was
officially installed as Indonesia’s 7th President, must look at the
mater seriously. The elected President must set up a competent body to tackle land
disputes in the regions. “They must be given the chance to negotiate with
investors over land utilization. Natural resources should be allocated for
people’s property”
Soon the body must manage land on spatial base of
complicit over natural and agricultural resources. GDN managed spatial based data
on conflict. CSO included in geo data continued to build spatial based sites.
GDN networking encompassed participative mapping [JKJPP], Hu Ma clubs, Sawit
Watch club, agricultural Reformation Consortium [KPA], People’s Forest Consortium
[KpSHK], Jatam, and Indonesia Forest Watch [FWI].
“We will invite certain ministries. We introduce directly
our geordata system. Some ministries like agriculture, transportation, BPN.
Could call for public participation to comment on the best system to find the
best solution”
Conflicts over natural resources over the past 3 years
had stolen public attention considering the intensity of occurrence. Difference
in land possession among conflicting parties never came to any clarity. Many
conflicts which originally hidden now busted out to the surface. “when the
public know a concession zone was possessed by companies, we believe it is necessary
to do mapping. The conflict potential would become part of mapping, and the
people must not just stand still”
Instead of attaining food sovereignty, the nation was
dominated by a regime of food corporations where big corporations prevailed in
food production and trading, while small farmers were marginalized. Things were
made worse by policies which ignore environmental well being and human rights.
So far the national Geo Data team had recorded hundred of
conflicts of various frequencies in 98 cities/regencies in 26 provinces. Such
was most disheartening because to total disputed land areas was posted at
2,043,287 hectare or more that 20,000 km2 [data Hu Ma]. besides, this year the
number of agricultural conflicts kept increasing. Lost of life was posted at 21
people dead, 30 people shot, 130 people tortured and 239 people arrested by the
Security Forces [Data KPA]. Large scale investments, not accompanied by change
on land processing system, had been wrong. “The way we see it, conflict might
continued and will never end”
The confusion in Natural Resource Management was seen in
the fact that around 13,000,000 ha of land had been designated as palm
concession zones [Data Sawit Watch] and the appearance of 10,935 mining permit which
claimed 40 million hectares of land Indonesia. The actors involved in land
dispute against communities were among others: Government institutions,
companies, and Government Owned companies [BUMN] i.e PTPN Perhutani. Four types
of conflict issues were: Forest and Customs communities, Land Grabbing,
Plantation, Mining, coal mining and water tapping.
There was mistake on Government’s side in defining food
resiliency which was focused on corporate regimes and efficiency. Such had
Created various problems which wide spread globally such as small producers
losing market share and various environmental damages in agriculture. Food sovereignty
must be a grave issue to be highlighted by all parties. “We are sure that
spatial data afield would complement information data, especially in times of
dispute. Now it is up to the government, if they are serious about managing
conflict, this spatial data could serve as entry point for solution in the
future”. (SS)
Business New - August 8, 2014
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