Settling land problems<\/p>\n
Land use for development and residential purposes are among
\nthe reasons why productive land (for agriculture) is diminishing,
\naccording to the Minister of Agrarian Affair\/Head of the National
\nLand Agency (BPN) in a speech delivered recently in Yogyakarta.
\nFor that reason, according to the minister, allocations for land
\nuse must in the future be properly planned and managed.<\/p>\n
We believe that the words spoken by the head of BPN reflects
\nthe concern which is felt by all of us. During 1995, which is now
\nnearing its end, land problems were rampant in many places. And
\nthe problems were almost always the same: the eviction of people
\nfrom their land and land disputes as well as changes in the
\nfunction of land.<\/p>\n
The construction of industries, offices and residential
\nestates -- with residential estate development now no longer
\nbeing an exclusively urban phenomenon -- demonstrates the
\nincreasing power of capital. Those various changes in land use
\nare very much determined by the influence of capital. The present
\nsystem of control over land may be said to be one of a monopsony.
\nLand owners hardly have any choice at all regarding whether or
\nnot they want to sell their land. Land for which official
\nclearance permits have been issued must be sold to developers or
\nspeculators.<\/p>\n
It will be the difficult task of the National Land Agency in
\nthe coming year to clear up such land disputes, whether they
\ninvolve individual citizens or individuals on one side and the
\ngovernment on the other. Fragmentary solutions are no longer
\nadequate. It would appear to be worth the effort to adopt a new
\nline of thinking, such as the one based on the principle of
\n\"development without displacement\".<\/p>\n
-- Republika, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/settling-land-problems-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }