Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia during Handover of Certificates of Land Redistribution for Agrarian Reforms Objects (TORA), 22 September 2021, at Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java Province

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh,

Good afternoon,

May peace be upon us all,

Om Swastiastu,

Namo Buddhaya,

Greetings of Virtue.

Distinguished Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of National Land Agency;

Distinguished Presidential Chief of Staff;

Distinguished Head of Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) Dr. Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tandjung;

Distinguished Governors, Regents, Mayors, all ranks of Forkopimda (the Regional LeaderCoordinating Forum), and all Heads of Land Agencies at provincial, regional, municipal level;

Distinguished all land certificate beneficiaries; Ladies and Gentlemen.

I have said many times that I do not want the agrarian conflicts that occur in many regions to continue. I do not want the common people have no legal certainty over their land which their lives are relied on. I also do not want entrepreneurs have no legal certainty over their lands that are used for business. Therefore, legal certainty over land that provides justice to all people is our common interest.

The Government is committed to ensure fair legal certainty. I have held a number of Limited Meetings to discuss this issue. I have often invited a number of regional leaders to resolve agrarian conflicts in their areas. I have also invited representatives of civil society organizations to discuss about options, choices in resolving every agrarian conflict that occurred. Many agrarian conflicts have been taking place for a long time, for decades, even up to 40 years. The problems have  not been solved yet.

I understand that agrarian conflicts and land disputes are severe challenges faced by all of you, farmers and fishermen, as well as people who work on land. Every year, I welcome groups of farmers who willingly came to Jakarta from far away regions, some of them even walk to Jakarta to fight for their rights over their lands affected by agrarian conflict.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

To coincide with the momentum of the National Agrarian and Spatial Day 2021, today I will hand over 124,120 certificates of land redistribution from 26 provinces and 127 regencies and cities, while the remaining 5,512 certificates are certificates of the result of agrarian conflict resolutions in 7 provinces and 8 regencies and cities that become the Government’s priority in 2021.

Today’s handover of the certificates is special handover because the land certificates are truly additional land certificates for people. The land is fresh. The land is the state’s new land from the Government for people as a result of agrarian conflict resolution, abandoned land, and the release of forest areas.

This is the result of our join struggle, the struggle of all of you who also join hands with groups of civil society organizations and the Government.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to affirm the Government’s commitment to resolve existing agrarian conflicts, carry out agrarian reforms for the people, and ensure the availability and certainty of a fair living space for the public.

I also would like remind all of you that the Government is fully committed to eradicate land mafia. To all ranks of the Indonesian National Police (Polri), please do not hesitate to investigate and eradicate land mafia. Do not let any law enforcement officials be behind the land mafia. Fight for people’s rights and enforce the law firmly.

I emphasize that the Government not only hands over land certificates. I order Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, and Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries to disburse assistance in form of capital, seeds, fertilizers, trainings, so that the land owned by the beneficiaries of the agrarian reforms program will be more productive. Once again, it aims to improve land productivity so that the land can provide yields to help owners’ daily life.

Ladies and Gentlemen, all certificate beneficiaries,

I urge that the certificate must be kept well and safe. Do not let it disappear. Do not damage it. Do not switch its functions or give it to someone else. Please, keep it well and safe.

That concludes my speech on this auspicious occasion. By saying bismillahirrahmanirrahim, this afternoon, I officially hand over Certificates of Land Redistribution for Agrarian Reforms Objects.

I thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. (AP/LW)