Minister AHY hands over land certificate to Kapuas Hulu customary communities

Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning (ATR) Minister/Head of National Land Agency (BPN) Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) directly handed over certificates for customary land (ulayat), including for Customary Law Communities of Menua Kulan and Iban Menua Sungai Utik, Batu Lintang Village, Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan.

The distance of thousands of kilometers from Kapuas Hulu to Bandung City did not reduce enthusiasm of the Head of Batu Lintang village, Ray Mundus Remang, to attend to receive it, Thursday (September 5, 2024), the South Kalimantan Land Agency (BPN) in Banjarbaru informed in a press release, Sunday.

Head of Batu Lintang Village felt very honored to have the opportunity to represent his Customary Law Communities to receive a certificate of Right of Management (HPL) for ulayat land, which is inhabited by 184 head of families (KK) with a total of 578 people. 

“This land certificate is very important for our Customary Law Communities survival. By having certificate, the legal basis is clear, there is a legal force that we can hold,” said Ray Mundus Remang who was met at the International Conferenc on Registration of Rights to Customary Land of Customary Law Communities in Indonesia and ASEAN countries di The Trans Luxury Hotel, Bandung.

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By having a certficate, the land they occupy can be safer to use, either as a residence or to be managed as a source of livelihood. 

“Together, we will organize the management later. Because it is a customary land, it cannot be claimed as individual property, it is communal property,” said head of the village.

Since beginning the process of deliberation before continuing to register the customar land, Ray Mundus Remang and all part of the traditional community had agreed to use the land as a space for knowledge for future generations.

“So that the next generation still know and learn about various type of wood and plants. It will be  a place for various of rare plants. It is very important for us, not only to agree to protect the plants, but also to enrich variety of plants and provide education to the public,” concluded Ray Mundus Remang. 

The firsat international conference in Indonesia that discussed the registration of customary land was attended by hundreds of participants from various countries.

Including the representatives of World Bank, World Resources Institute, Southeast Asia Foreign Land Institute, National Committee of Indigenous People (NCIP) Philippines, Department of Agriculture Land Management (DALAM) Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos.

Also representatives of Office of the National Land Policy Board Thailand, Department of Land Thailand, Customary Law Communities from 9 provinces in Indonesia, ATR Ministry/BPN, related ministries, academics, student organization, and several universities that are active in research and fighting for customary law communities in Indonesia.

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