Land acquisition in Indonesia often poses various challenges, especially concerning the protection of communities affected by development projects. One of the obligations in this process is to ensure the presence of affected communities in public consultations. These consultations aim to hear and consider the aspirations and concerns of residents whose land will be used.
However, problems arise when the implementation phase begins. Project implementers are required to create a nominative list that includes affected communities. Unfortunately, in some cases, communities that should be listed as affected are often overlooked, even though they are already listed in the Land Acquisition Planning Document (DPPT). This lack of clarity results in their rights not being adequately accommodated.
It is important to note that indigenous communities, who often have strong connections to their ancestral lands, are also vulnerable groups in this process. Additionally, choices for relocation and various other matters not included in the mandatory 11 items of the DPPT need to be considered. All of these should be included in additional DPPT content to provide more comprehensive protection.
However, Regulation 19, which regulates additional content, actually limits the scope of such protection. Additional content that should include preferences for forms of compensation is instead reduced, thus various other important issues do not receive adequate attention.
These conditions highlight the need for more inclusive and transparent policies in land acquisition. In addition to ensuring that all affected communities are properly documented, there needs to be mechanisms to ensure their rights are fairly protected. Thus, development can proceed without sacrificing the interests of communities whose lands are being used.
Affected communities need to be actively involved in every stage of land acquisition, from planning to implementation. Only with an inclusive and just approach can the land acquisition process proceed more harmoniously and fairly for all involved parties.