Long Row to Hoe: Decentralization, Reformasi, and Land Management Policy in Indonesia

Abstract

"The turbulent events in Indonesia during the closing years of the 20th century prompted the reopening of public discussion on many long-standing issues of social and economic reform. Land reform is one of many agendas that have preoccupied policy makers, scholars and activists as the nation attempts to reinvent itself in the wake of the collapse of the 32- year New Order government of ex-President Suharto. This article examines some of the main debates swirling around the issue of land management and policy during the post-Suharto reformasi period, and provides illustrations of current problems and emerging trends. The article begins with a brief overview of land law and policy in Indonesia, followed a discussion of its philosophical and ideological basis. This is followed by a discussion of government reform during the New Order period and beyond, and the social and environmental costs of Indonesia's development. The discussion then turns to efforts to decentralise government, and its implications on land administration and policy. Case study examples are provided to illustrate the complex dynamic unfolding across the country."