Public access to natural resources

Dadan Wijaksana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) concluded on Tuesday its preliminary debate on the draft decree for Agrarian Reform and Natural Resource Management that will lay the foundation for reform of subordinate regulations.

The long-awaited draft is expected to be presented before a higher commission for reassessment on Wednesday.

The draft decree became the first to pass preliminary deliberation in the Annual Session that will last until Friday.

The new decree will enable people to have greater access to utilization of the country's natural resources, thus helping minimize social conflicts over natural resources.

"The draft is crucial, as in the past access to the utilization of natural resources has created various conflicts," Erwin Singaruju, spokesman of Indonesian Democratic Party faction said.

"We, therefore, have to ensure that this decree will guarantee fair and sustainable management of natural resources."

The need for reform in the agrarian sector has long been voiced by various elements of society as the common people have often borne the brunt of injustices stemming from land ownership. The common people have weak bargaining power when faced with powerful capitalists and those who are politically well connected.

Many feel that the existing law favors investors and businesspeople rather than the local people.

A.M. Lutfi of the Reform Faction expressed optimism that the new decree would help prevent conflicts related to land disputes.

"If finalized, this (MPR decree) will help solve and prevent agrarian conflicts that often occurred in the past," he said.

The decree focuses on ownership and the utilization of land with respect to land ownership by the local people, including both cultivated and urban land.

However, the debate on agrarian reform has yet to cover forest areas, coastal areas and locations where mining activities take place.

Key Points

Agrarian Reform * reevaluate current related regulations to synchronize inter- sector policy * restructure the control, ownership and utilization of land * conduct data collection on land * aid conflict resolution relating to land disputes

Natural Resource Management * reevaluate current related regulations to synchronize inter- sector policy * provide the common people with broader access to information on potential natural resources in their area * end and prevent conflicts relating to the utilization of natural resources