Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency

Land tenure conflicts have been a significant problem in Java for decades. The divergence between the state’s legal view and the community’s historical claim to land rights has sparked longstanding debate. This study aims to describe the dynamics of land tenure through empirical evidence of the his...

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Main Authors: Adi Purwanto Nugroho, Melani Abdulkadir Sunito, Rilus A Kinseng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bogor Agricultural University 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.ipb.ac.id/index.php/jpsl/article/view/58680
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author Adi Purwanto Nugroho
Melani Abdulkadir Sunito
Rilus A Kinseng
author_facet Adi Purwanto Nugroho
Melani Abdulkadir Sunito
Rilus A Kinseng
author_sort Adi Purwanto Nugroho
collection DOAJ
description Land tenure conflicts have been a significant problem in Java for decades. The divergence between the state’s legal view and the community’s historical claim to land rights has sparked longstanding debate. This study aims to describe the dynamics of land tenure through empirical evidence of the historical trajectory of land tenure in forest areas in Muara Gembong District, Bekasi Regency. The research was conducted using in-depth interviews, analysis of historical data and literature, and a review of relevant land and forest policy documents. As a result, land tenure policies by the State only gain legal certainty without the legitimacy of local communities. The findings reveal that the land tenure dynamics in Muara Gembong are shaped by a process of state territorialization through the authority of the forestry sector, which is countered by local communities and regional authority efforts at counter-territorialization. This tension has led to tenure insecurity for local communities, as they often lack formal proof of land ownership. The presence of a forest area governance regime that relies on a top-down, command-and-control approach has proven ineffective in achieving its goal of maximizing public welfare. Therefore, future policy directions should focus on inclusive negotiation processes and reforms that ensure tenure security recognized by all parties.
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publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Bogor Agricultural University
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series Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management
spelling doaj-art-d9b5c01884844085a58f69c4eec147d42025-08-20T02:12:46ZengBogor Agricultural UniversityJournal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management2086-46392460-58242025-05-0115310.29244/jpsl.15.3.448Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi RegencyAdi Purwanto Nugroho0Melani Abdulkadir Sunito1Rilus A Kinseng2IPB UniversityIPB UniversityIPB University Land tenure conflicts have been a significant problem in Java for decades. The divergence between the state’s legal view and the community’s historical claim to land rights has sparked longstanding debate. This study aims to describe the dynamics of land tenure through empirical evidence of the historical trajectory of land tenure in forest areas in Muara Gembong District, Bekasi Regency. The research was conducted using in-depth interviews, analysis of historical data and literature, and a review of relevant land and forest policy documents. As a result, land tenure policies by the State only gain legal certainty without the legitimacy of local communities. The findings reveal that the land tenure dynamics in Muara Gembong are shaped by a process of state territorialization through the authority of the forestry sector, which is countered by local communities and regional authority efforts at counter-territorialization. This tension has led to tenure insecurity for local communities, as they often lack formal proof of land ownership. The presence of a forest area governance regime that relies on a top-down, command-and-control approach has proven ineffective in achieving its goal of maximizing public welfare. Therefore, future policy directions should focus on inclusive negotiation processes and reforms that ensure tenure security recognized by all parties. https://journal.ipb.ac.id/index.php/jpsl/article/view/58680Muara Gembong, land tenure, forest area, property right, power and authority
spellingShingle Adi Purwanto Nugroho
Melani Abdulkadir Sunito
Rilus A Kinseng
Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency
Journal of Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Muara Gembong, land tenure, forest area, property right, power and authority
title Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency
title_full Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency
title_fullStr Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency
title_full_unstemmed Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency
title_short Land Tenure Conflicts in Forest Areas of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency
title_sort land tenure conflicts in forest areas of muara gembong bekasi regency
topic Muara Gembong, land tenure, forest area, property right, power and authority
url https://journal.ipb.ac.id/index.php/jpsl/article/view/58680
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AT melaniabdulkadirsunito landtenureconflictsinforestareasofmuaragembongbekasiregency
AT rilusakinseng landtenureconflictsinforestareasofmuaragembongbekasiregency