DefinePK

Abstract

We discovered a blank point in the study of palm oil conflicts in Indonesia, namely abandoned land. This is critical in determining the ontology of the conflicts that frequently occur between palm oil firms and communities surrounding plantation areas, conflicts that are generated by land rights. We conducted research in the Bengkayang district. Observations, desk studies, and in-depth interviews that we conducted revealed that there were four main factors causing land to be indicated as abandoned in the area of palm oil companies\' cultivation rights (HGU). First, inconsistencies and uncertainties in HGU determination procedures, for example, produce challenges and tensions with indigenous groups. Second, data fabrication practices by related parties, including local governments, result in inaccurate information. Third, the lack of formal legal rights over customary land makes maintaining land ownership claims difficult for groups. Fourth, unequal acknowledgment of traditional regions\' sovereignty leads to inequity in natural resource management. The phenomenon of abandoned land in this study occurs due to the duality of property rights, which reduces land productivity. The ontological implications of this research concern land development and management, regulatory simplification in maintaining customary land rights, and contemplation of overlapping land rights. This research increases understanding of the dynamics of development and management of abandoned land.