According to findings by the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA), there are numerous cases of overlapping land ownership in the East Kalimantan region, designated for the construction of the new Indonesian capital city (IKN).
In Kutai Kartanegara Regency, for example, which has approximately 2.65 million hectares of land, the KPA estimates that around 1.22 million hectares, or 46%, have overlapping Spatial Planning Regulations (RTRW), detailed as follows:
* Overlapping Provincial and Regency RTRW in Non-Forest Areas: 3.88%
* Overlapping RTRW (Provincial and/or Regency) with Forest Areas: 2.06%
* Overlapping Land Permits/Rights on Land Parcels (RTRW and Forest Areas) that are already Harmonized: 31.10%
* Combined overlaps involving Land Permits/Rights on Land Parcels that are not yet Harmonized: 9.03%
The KPA assesses that a similar situation occurs in Penajam Paser Utara Regency.
Penajam Paser Utara Regency has approximately 322,000 hectares of land. However, around 218,000 hectares, or 67%, are considered to have overlapping ownership issues, detailed as follows:
* Overlapping Provincial and Regency RTRW in Non-Forest Areas: 6.46%
* Overlapping RTRW (Provincial and/or Regency) with Forest Areas: 3.99%
* Overlapping Land Permits/Rights on Land Parcels (RTRW and Forest Areas) that are already Harmonized: 45.64%
* Combined overlaps involving Land Permits/Rights on Land Parcels that are not yet Harmonized: 11.81%
The KPA attributes this overlap to long-standing unresolved agrarian conflicts.
The KPA also mentions that this issue involves land ownership conflicts between the government and local communities.
"The IKN location is not empty land, land that the government claims to directly control. Based on our findings, the IKN location has long been occupied by farmers and is customary land," stated Roni Septian, Head of Advocacy and Policy at KPA, during a virtual press conference on Monday (March 14th).
"This would invalidate the government's claim that 'the IKN location is state land, with no community ownership over it'. That statement is incorrect," Roni concluded.