The Dynamics of Land Ownership and the Asynchrony of Agrarian Regulations as Triggers of Land Conflicts and Social Injustice in Indonesia

Inequality in land ownership in Indonesia is a major factor triggering agrarian disputes, primarily due to the dominance of ownership by corporations and economic elites, which restricts access to land for small communities. This situation is exacerbated by land policies that favor investment interests and weak legal protection for the rights of indigenous communities and farmers. Inconsistencies in agrarian regulations, such as overlaps between the 1960 Basic Agrarian Law (UUPA) and various derivative regulations, further complicate the resolution of land conflicts. Furthermore, weak law enforcement and the government's bias toward large investments mean that communities often lose their land rights without adequate protection mechanisms. Agrarian conflicts occurring in various regions, such as Kalimantan, Papua, Sumatra, and Java, demonstrate that land grabbing in the name of development and investment has deepened social disparities and increased economic and political instability. Therefore, agrarian policy reform that is oriented towards social justice is needed by strengthening the implementation of the 1960 UUPA, ensuring regulatory harmonization, and increasing protection of the rights of small and indigenous communities so that land can be used fairly for the welfare of the people, not just as an economic commodity for a handful of parties.