The Hono Indigenous Community of South Sulawesi Fights for Land Rights Claimed by the Land Bank

Agrarian conflicts remain a common problem in several regions. This situation is exacerbated by numerous government policies that interfere with community production sectors, including indigenous communities, customary forests, and other sectors. The government's granting of Land Use Rights (HGU) permits to companies often fails to conduct a preliminary review of the land's condition and status. This situation ultimately becomes the root of agrarian conflicts that harm communities. Prolonged conflicts, coupled with minimal review of HGU permits, result in rights uncertainty for communities.

A similar situation is experienced by the Hono Indigenous Community in Marante and Padang Balua Villages, South Sulawesi. Cultivation Rights (HGU) were granted to a company operating a coffee, tea, and passion fruit plantation, covering an area of ​​22.539,11 hectares, from 1996 to 2020. Although the company's HGU has expired, the Hono Indigenous Community remains uncertain about their customary land rights. The former HGU area is within the Land Bank's claim area.

Therefore, the Hono Indigenous Community conducted a Priority Agrarian Reform Location Mapping (LPRA) as an effort to save and protect their land. This mapping aims to demonstrate land ownership and utilization within their customary management areas, which have long served as a source of daily needs and economic support for the community, particularly in the plantation and rice fields sectors. They also conducted community-level organizing training on agrarian issues and land reclamation. This training involved the entire Hono Indigenous Community, especially the younger generation.

The impact of this mapping process was the resulting map of the Land Bank claim location in Seko District, covering Marante Village and Padang Balua Village, covering an area of ​​4.229,49 hectares, as well as a map of community land use within the Land Bank HPL claim area. They consolidated and collectively succeeded in removing the Land Bank stakes located in their plantation area, thus eliminating any further Land Bank activity in the area managed by the Hono indigenous community. This process also encouraged increased public understanding and awareness of the threat of land grabbing and the consolidation of the movement to continue fighting for the LPRA at the Indigenous Community level.