Land Conflict at the Wadas Mining Site: How Large is the Village?

Last week (February 8th), a conflict occurred between security forces and residents in Wadas Village, Bener District, Purworejo Regency, Central Java. This conflict stemmed from the resistance of some Wadas villagers to the repurposing of their village land for andesite mining. According to the local government, the andesite mined from Wadas Village is intended for the construction of the Bener Dam National Strategic Project (PSN) located in Purworejo Regency. However, some residents fear that the mining will damage the environment of Wadas Village, increase the risk of landslides, and disrupt the livelihoods of the villagers, who are mostly farmers.

Comparison of the Area of Wadas Village and Other Villages in Bener District

Based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Wadas Village covers an area of 4.06 square kilometers (km) in 2021. This represents only 4.32% of the total area of Bener District, which is 94.03 km².

The largest village/sub-district in Bener District is Guntur Village, with an area of 6.53 km², followed by Kaliwader (5.78 km²), Sukowuwuh (4.89 km²), and Limbangan (4.56 km²).

The smallest village/sub-district is Kedungloteng, with an area of only 1.27 km², followed by Kaliboto (1.46 km²) and Kaliurip (1.63 km²).

Population of Wadas Village

Based on data from the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the population of Wadas Village was 1,519 people as of December 31, 2021.

Detailed population of Wadas Village by gender:

1. Male: 771 people
2. Female: 748 people

Population of Wadas Village by marital status:

1. Never married: 655 people
2. Married: 766 people
3. Divorced: 24 people
4. Widowed: 74 people

(Read More: [Ramai Konflik di Desa Wadas, Berapa Jumlah Penduduknya?](https://databoks.katadata.co.id/datapublish/2022/02/13/ramai-konflik-di-desa-wadas-berapa-jumlah-penduduknya))