Two Customary Villages in Tabanan at Odds Over Boundary Demarcation

Two customary villages in Tabanan Regency, namely Desa Adat Buruan in Penebel District and Desa Adat Sesandan in Tabanan District, became embroiled in a tense dispute on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 over boundary demarcation issues.

The tension arose when residents of Desa Adat Buruan attempted to install jegeg-bagus statues in preparation for the Ngenteg Linggih ceremonial observance. However, residents of Desa Adat Sesandan rejected the installation, claiming the location fell within their territorial jurisdiction.

The resulting tension between the two customary villages was fortunately defused by local authorities. To prevent escalation, the Tabanan Police invited both villages to undergo mediation at the police headquarters, including Tabanan Regent I Komang Gede Sanjaya.

The mediation process proved lengthy, commencing at 14:00 local time and concluding at 17:00 local time.

Following the mediation, Tabanan Regent I Komang Gede Sanjaya stated that both disputing parties committed to respecting the longstanding agreement to avoid unwanted incidents. This is particularly significant given the approaching Hindu celebration of Nyepi Day.

Sanjaya emphasised that after the customary ceremony by one of the parties concludes, Regent Regulation No. 7 of 2023 concerning Boundary Demarcation and Confirmation would be reviewed comprehensively.

“Boundary issues fall within the purview of administrative authorities. We cannot establish boundaries with complete accuracy; therefore, this matter will be reviewed again after the customary ceremony at Desa Adat Buruan concludes,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Tabanan Police Chief AKBP I Putu Bayu Pati added that the mediation sought to find a resolution preventing the situation from escalating into anarchic behaviour.

“Fundamentally, both customary villages are committed to maintaining stability. The Tabanan Local Government will subsequently conduct further verification and review of this boundary matter,” Pati said.

To anticipate undesired developments, authorities implemented special attention to prevent further conflict. “Particularly during the ogoh-ogoh procession, we are providing special security at the village boundary to ensure broader tensions do not arise,” he concluded.