Land disputes must be settled prudently

SANUR, Bali (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri urged state institutions to be prudent in settling disputes over ancestral land.

"Since the enactment of Law No. 5/1960 on agrarian reform 40 years ago... several principle points, such as land borders, types and ownership, as well as other rights guaranteed under traditional laws, have not been addressed," Megawati said while speaking at the opening of the Congress of Public Notaries Authorized to Issue Land Documents here on Thursday.

The event also was attended by Minister of Home Affairs and Regional Autonomy Surjadi Soedirdja.

Numerous land disputes have been left unresolved for years, and others have led to protracted conflicts.

These include frays between the Kubu tribe and forest concessionaires in Jambi and South Sumatra.

In Irian Jaya, local tribes oppose copper and mining company PT Freeport Indonesia's operation, claiming the area is their ancestral land.

The Vice President also criticized the country's poor land administration. "I ask for a total measure of the country's productive land and none of the officials are able to provide me the exact data."

"Of the country's 1.9 million square kilometers of land, only 3.6 percent has been completely mapped. Therefore, I ask the National Land Agency and the Coordinating Agency for National Surveys and Charting to speed up the process of land administration and mapping.

"I understand the land issue is a complicated matter and that it cannot be solved merely by mapping, but at least we can first start with this basic principle," Megawati said. (zen/edt)