Kajang Customary Forest Conflict Management

This study analyzes the conflict that occurred in the Ammatoa Kajang Customary Forest between the Ammatoa Kajang customary community and PT London Sumatra (Lonsum). This conflict was caused by the struggle for control and management of natural forest resources, where the state's partiality tended to weaken the position of indigenous peoples. For the Ammatoa Kajang indigenous people, the forest is a center of life that cannot be separated from existence for the themselves in accordance with the teachings of Pasang Ri Kajang, so that preserving the forest is a top priority. Changes in forest function to rubber plantations and allegations of land grabbing in customary forest areas by PT Lonsum were the initial causes of the conflict. The conflict eventually became more widespread and protracted when there were no regulations or policies from the government to accommodate the struggle of the Ammatoa Kajang indigenous people to regain their communal rights. This research is a qualitative descriptive analysis that explains how the influence of political decisions from a country on the management of an area of natural resources resulting in environmental degradation, poverty, marginalization and discrimination against indigenous peoples.