Jakarta - The Executive Office of the President (KSP) will continue to assist the local community of Banyuwangi, East Java, in resolving years of conflict over land in the regency. KSP will also push for Agrarian Reform to be fully implemented soon in the easternmost regency of Java Island.
The Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko previously signed a Decree number 1B/T/2021 on the Establishment of 2021’s Acceleration Team for Land Conflict Resolution and Agrarian Reform Policy. The team is expected to accelerate the resolution of 137 prioritized conflicts over land in 2021.
“KSP has received 16 complaints on agrarian conflicts which have also been well received by the Banyuwangi Regent. In 2021 alone, there are 4 conflicted lands in forest areas that will be prioritized for resolution," said Senior Advisor Usep Setiawan.
The KSP Team also directly monitored and oversaw the acceleration of agrarian reform in Karangdoro Village, Tegalsari District, Banyuwangi Regency.
"I’ll confidently say that the conflict resolution over lands in Karangdoro Village is now nearing completion," said Usep, adding that KSP would further speed up the process.
“Villagers have dreamed of it for too long. They have applied for a certification of their lands 13 times," said Sunaryo, Head of Karangdoro Village.
Sunaryo added that the residents of Karangdoro have lived in the forest area since 1943. In addition, since the year 2000, the people have been unable to pay taxes because the area where they live does not have legal certainty.
“Many have promised us legal certainty, but none came true. We really hope that later I can die peacefully as my children and grandchildren have gotten the [legal] certainty over the lands,” said Jumeno, a resident of Sumberagung Hamlet in Karangdoro Village.
The KSP Team also had a dialogue with regional leaders, to gain perspectives from the regional law makers. Further, the team also hoped for a good collaboration between central and local leaders.
The Regent of Banyuwangi, Ipuk Fiestiandani also admitted that the nature of agrarian conflicts in Banyuwangi was quite complicated. Not only that it has strong historical factors, but lands in the conflicted area have been passed down from generation to generation.
Nevertheless, the Banyuwangi National Land Agency (BPN) has stated their commitment to immediately construct a conflict resolution mechanism and submit the scheme to the Banyuwangi Regency Agrarian Reform Task Force.
