Recommendations pressure the new government to prioritize concrete action in national interest

By Anne-Sophie Gindroz

Driven by heightening agrarian conflicts, ecological crises, and unequal distribution of land and natural resources in Indonesia, civil society organizations in the country have joined forces in unprecedented numbers to help the government plan and implement comprehensive agrarian reform in the country.

The result of this remarkably inclusive process is a policy document called The White Book for Agrarian Reform: A road toward national sovereignty.

The White Book provides recommendations on how agrarian reform in Indonesia can be made effective, a strategic agenda for the new Indonesian government to prioritize, and concrete and actionable steps for effective implementation. A preliminary version of the recommendations was presented to the Rumah Transisi (Transition House) of the newly elected President Jokowi.
In Indonesia, this is the first time that such a diverse and broad-based coalition of organizations has been formed to conduct policy advocacy. The movement behind the White Book includes farmers organizations and unions, the Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), women’s groups, People’s Coalition for Fishery, Agrarian Reform Consortium, Forest and Environmental Forum, legal aid and human rights institutions, research and policy advocacy institutes, welfare organizations,and advocacy networks on mining, anti-corruption, justice and transparency.

In September 2014, 37 organizations* gathered for a National Conference on Agrarian Reform. Prior to the Conference and with the policy directions of the Indonesian People’s Assembly Decree No. IX of 2001 in the backdrop, discussions  and consultations were held on nine key topics identified as relevant for the agrarian reform agenda. These form the basis for, and are reflected in following nine chapters of The White Book:

1. Strengthening Movement and People Participation

2. Transformation of Rural Area and People Empowerment

3. Strengthening People Economy and People’s Production Management

4. Institution for Agrarian Reform and Conflict Resolution

5. Government Institution Managing Agrarian Affairs

6. Funding for Agrarian Reform

7. Trade and Investment Management

8. Establishment of Agrarian Research and Study

9. Agenda of National Legislations and Regulations

Unlike many other conferences which end once proceedings are published, this one was marked by a promising new dynamic. First, the 37 organizations who gathered in conference organizing committee agreed to an institutional consolidation by transforming into “Komite Nasional Pembaruan Agraria” (KNPA), a National Committee for Agrarian Reform. This Committee is now in process of developing provincial committees with the intention to expand down to regencies/cities and villages. The objective is to consolidate this movement of diverse institutions and organizations to work unitedly toward a common goal: an effective and just agrarian reform.

Second, preliminary recommendations from The White Book were presented to the new government. It has now become a strategic input for the new roadmap for agrarian reform, as it includes recommendations for the agrarian policy, legislation/regulation and natural resource management, especially related toland and forestry. The drafting of the “Roadmap Reforma Agraria” was initiated by members of the Committee, led by Noer Fauzi Rachman of the Sajogyo Institute in December 2014. The roadmap covers: (i) Indigenous territory, including the compiling of road maps, activities, determination of actors and time frames for legalization of territories and indigenous people’s rights; (ii) Forestry territory, with the completion of forest tenure issues, both in and outside Java island; and (iii) And plantation territory, primarily focusing on the completion of land tenure issues by the people or occupation by large plantations as a cause of inequality and agrarian conflict.
For the new government, the greatest benefit of The White Book is to clarify the demands and recommendations of the civil society movement to be considered in the formulation of its new governance policy. Indeed, the Indonesian experience presents a model for similar efforts across the world, not only on defining changes in agrarian policy but also on engaging civil society organizations in this process of change.

* The 37 organizations involved in production of the White Book: SAINS; KPA; P3I; AMAN; HuMA; EPISTEMA, SPI; BINDES; API; SPKS; RMI; JKPP;SW; IHCS; YLBHI; WALHI; FIKA; KIARA; SNI; KNTI; AGRA; JATAM; SP; ASPPUK;IGJ; KAU; IRE; KARSA; PRAKARSA; KONTRAS; ICW; KPRI; FIELD; FITRA; TUK Indonesia; ELSAM, and PUSAKA.

For more information, please contact Anne-Sophie Gindroz.