紀要論文

On the Legitimacy of Development : A Case Study of Communal Land Struggle in Kapalo Hilalang, West Sumatra, Indonesia

eng

09111247

https://doi.org/10.15002/00002051

Journal of International Economic Studies

21

145

160

2007-03

Version of Record

Communal land has been an important resource for the Minangkabau people, not only for their economic life but also for their identity as a matrilineal society. In the Dutch colonial period, the land had been leased to foreign companies, and rent paid for it. Since the period of Development in the New Order Indonesia, however, the regional government and military forcefully confiscated those lands for enterprises such as developing plantations and resort facilities without any compensation. This made people very frustrated and triggered their movement to recover those lands after Suharto’s decline in 1998. However, the regional government and military still have been relying on terror and violence to crush those movements. They used to deny the peoples’ claim saying that the communal land which was used as foreign plantations became state land after the nationalization of foreign enterprises in 1957. One of the biggest issues is how the local government and military command assert the legitimacy of development, and how to change the understanding of the communal land. In this regard, the Kapalo Hilalang case study of communal land struggle provides useful information, suggests new ways of understanding the situation as well as ways of resolving the struggle.

Article

AA10459262