Presented at the CAPRi International Workshop on Collective Action, Property Rights, and Conflict in Natural Resources Management. June 28th to July 1st, 2010, Siem Reap, Cambodia. http://www.capri.cgiar.org/wks_0610.asp

1. Local Community vs Oil Palm Plantation Company: Two case studies from West Kalimatan, Indonesia Yayan Indriatmoko 1 July 2010 – Siem Reap

2. Field study as part of RECOFTC’s Regional Analysis of Forestry Conflict in the context of Devolution in Asia.

3. Policy context In mid 2005, plan to establish the world’s largest oil palm plantation along the border with Malaysia in Borneo, 1,8 million hectares. In West Kalimantan, the provincial target is 1.5 million ha, but permits given by Head of districts have reached 2 million ha Up to 2006, 152 OP plantation in West Kalimantan has been developed In 2007, the Kapuas Hulu District Govt gave permits to 21 oil palm companies, in total 254,500 hectares

4. Beside the positive impact such as increasing national revenue, overcoming unemployment and improving local economy, the opening of oil palm plantations are also seen as one of the contributors to the massive forest degradation in Indonesia. Another negative impact is that the development of large oil plantation often creates conflict on the ground. In January 2008, 513 conflicts between communities and companies were recorded by Sawit Watch (Marti 2008).

5. Conflict in OP plantation Source: Losing Ground, Serge Marti, 2008. FoE EWNI, Life Mosaic and SawitWatch

6. Objective of the research Understanding the root causes of conflict, How it developed, Approaches used during the conflict Impact of the conflict

7. Field work : August - October 2009 Two cases in Kapuas Hulu District, West kalimantan Janting (DayakIban) Suhaid (Malay) During the field work, the conflict was ongoing. …up to now

8. Case study site

9. Whoinvolved in Janting case The local community DayakIban in 3 settlements (350 people) Mix shifting cultivator and jungle rubber practicing customary based NRM including in conflict resolution The company (PT. Buana Tunas Sejahtera/ SinarMas group) Permit (2007 and 2008) with 139.000 ha, 12.000 Ha in Badau sub-district (including Janting’s territory) Benefit sharing mechanism of 8 : 2, compensation 15 USD per ha The Local Government of Kapuas Hulu

10. Suhaid case The community Malay people in 5 villages (Nanga Suhaid, Tanjung, Madangpermai, Tawang) , Live along the Kapuas River (adjacent to the DNSP) high dependency on NRM Fishing (wild/hunting and /fish pond/fish cage) Shifting cultivation Rubber

11. The company PT. Kartika Prima Citra / SinarMas group 18.000 ha in this Suhaid area start from 2007 The local government (same with Janting case) NGOs

12. Conflict development

13. Janting Case

16. Suhaid case

17. Root causes of the conflict

18. Root causes of conflict Overlapping land rights status Local community is less or not fully involved in oil palm plantations planning. Conflict resolution mechanism based on customary is not appreciated Lack of support for the weak (community) Company working mechanism

19. Approaches Bring the issue to the local government Sending letter to ‘high level person’ Confiscation Mass demonstration physical clash Negotiation Using customary mechanism Alliance/coalition Police and military - intimidation

20. Impact Mental Social Envi (positive and negative) Cost Financial, time, energy Government’s program

21. Capacity Knowledge & Awareness Networking Impact

22. Conclusion and Lesson learnt National policy, overlapping tenurial right underlying factor of conflict Customary based conflict management / resolution is not enough when powerful outsider involved Local community remain the weak in the conflict (cost, network and power)

23. Policy implication Clarify the status of land is essential. Need to improve mechanisms of large-scale OP plantation development, especially in dealing with local communities affected by Develop approaches in which the customary based conflict resolution involved Mediation process Balancing the power – HOW?

25. Questions to be discussed Research ContributionHow to encourage research-based decision making process to mitigate / manage conflict? How can research contribute to leveling the playing field? How can collective action work when different interests are exist? Collective action for sustainable use / conservation or destroy the forest ?