KPA Criticises Repressive Tactics by Authorities in Handling Agrarian Conflicts
JAKARTA — The Secretary General of the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA), Dewi Kartika, has revealed that the repressive approach used by authorities in handling agrarian conflicts has continued to rise in recent years. Dewi stated that this pattern is evident in various conflicts involving farmers and indigenous communities across the plantation, forestry, mining, infrastructure development, and military facility sectors.
“In the last year alone, from 2021 to 2024, the repressive approach on the ground by authorities—whether it be the National Police, the TNI, or corporate security—has continued to increase up to 2024,” Dewi stated during a public hearing with Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) on Monday.
According to her, the escalation of these repressive tactics is worsening agrarian conflict situations in various regions. “Businesses related to plantations, forestry, mining, and infrastructure development, combined with the process of militarisation, are exacerbating the agrarian conflict situation,” she added.
She further noted that the patterns of violence observed in 2024 remain consistent with previous years under the current administration. “Instead of deploying the Minister of Forestry, the police are deployed. Consequently, the police often find themselves in direct opposition to the community due to the use of criminalisation,” she continued.
Dewi argued that agrarian conflicts should instead be resolved through policy-based approaches and by addressing the root causes of the issues. She cited an instance of physical violence in Amplas Village, Percut Sei Tuan District, Deli Serdang, as a primary driver of escalating conflict data. “There were 404 instances of physical violence in Amplas Village, Percut, Deli Serdang,” she revealed.
Furthermore, Dewi criticised the Job Creation Law (Undang-Undang Cipta Kerja), which she believes is a significant factor in the worsening of agrarian conflicts and field violence. “In our view, within the agrarian reform movement and civil society, the Job Creation Law is one of the very poor legacies,” said Dewi.
She expressed the view that the Land Bank (Bank Tanah) mechanism is actually leading to the demarcation of community lands, including lands that were previously abandoned Right to Cultivate (HGU) or had expired. “While other regulations provide pathways for farmers or the recognition of indigenous rights, the Land Bank is actually encroaching upon community lands,” she concluded.