West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan emphasized that the implementation of agrarian reform must respect the rights of indigenous communities and provide legal certainty to prevent land disputes that often hamper development programs.
"Implementing agrarian reform requires a special approach that respects customary rights without ignoring national legal provisions," Dominggus said while opening the initial coordination meeting of the West Papua Agrarian Reform Task Force..
According to him, the implementation of agrarian reform requires a special approach because indigenous Papuans view land not merely as an economic asset but as an identity, a source of life, and an ancestral heritage that must be maintained from generation to generation.
The provisions for agrarian reform are regulated in Presidential Regulation Number 62 of 2023, which emphasizes asset management through the issuance of certificates and the arrangement of access in the form of infrastructure support, capital, technology, markets, and community assistance.
"We have established an Agrarian Reform Task Force through West Papua Governor Decree Number 77 of 2026 as a coordination forum across regional agencies," he said.
The Governor then highlighted the many land issues that persist in West Papua, particularly in Manokwari, triggered by the emergence of new claims over land that had previously been released by customary rights owners to the government and other parties.
Traditional leaders had previously transferred land for the construction of government facilities through mutually recognized customary mechanisms. However, after construction began and certificates were issued, other parties filed claims.
"They've paid, but a new group has emerged who believes they own the land. Ultimately, the government has to pay over and over again. This situation cannot continue," said Dominggus.
He hopes the initial coordination meeting of the task force will serve as a forum for identifying land issues and formulating measurable solutions, so that the implementation of agrarian reform can support accelerated development in the West Papua region.
