Data is of paramount importance in tackling agrarian and natural resource conflicts. It constitutes the foundation of the information to be included in a conflict grievance report. The presence of adequate data, which has been sufficiently verified, will assist the concerned parties, mediators, and relevant authorities in comprehending the dispute thoroughly, thus facilitating the implementation of the necessary decisions. Nevertheless, what does adequate data entail? 

It is our opinion that every agrarian and natural resource conflict complaint report should include at least four categories of data: the subject, the object, the history of the conflict, and the latest status of conflict handling. In order to further analyze the issue, let us consider each category in turn.

In the context of agrarian and natural resource conflicts, the term “subject” is used to refer to individuals, groups, or legal entities, such as companies, that are involved in the conflict. These subjects may include community members who believe they have rights to the land, entrepreneurs or corporations that hold concession licenses for land development, or individuals or groups that have traditional claims to a particular land. In summary, conflict subjects may encompass individuals, groups, government agencies, or legal entities that have claims to the lands or objects of the conflict. 

While the object of a conflict refers to an area that is the subject of a dispute or collision of the parties’ claims over the contested land. Generally, the land at issue has significant economic, strategic, or even emotional value for the parties to the conflict. The status of the land can be agricultural, residential, commercial, or land that has high ecological value, such as forests or nature conservation areas.

In a conflict resolution process, the subject and object become the main focus. Subjects will present their claims and arguments regarding ownership or control rights over the land, while the object becomes the center of the dispute contested by the subjects of the conflict. It is important to understand that data on the subjects and objects of a conflict are dynamic; ownership of a company can change, new community groups can emerge due to demographic changes, and the authority of an agency over the object of a conflict can change due to regulatory changes. The object of conflict can also change when the value of land changes due to market influences, disasters, or government spatial policies.

In addition to data pertaining to the subjects and objects of the conflict, initial reporting also requires data on the history of the conflict. This history entails the sequence of events and circumstances that instigated the dispute over land ownership, use, or claims. It must also elucidate the intensification or de-escalation of the conflict. Having adequate data will enable us to trace the historical roots of land tenure and ownership, including traditional ownership, the history of sale and purchase transactions, or claims based on customary law or inheritance. Furthermore, the underlying history of the conflict may also involve the consequences of alterations in government regulations or policies on land use and agrarian reform. It may even relate to changes in regulations and policies that initiated the conflict.

Furthermore, the history of the conflict also includes events related to previous conflict resolution efforts. An understanding of the underlying history of the conflict can help provide opportunities for mediation or conciliation between the parties to the conflict in order to find sustainable solutions and settlements. 

Finally, there should be data on the latest status of conflict resolution efforts. Data on the current status of conflict management provides information on the actions taken by various parties to address the conflict, as well as the effectiveness of these actions. This knowledge can inform whether the parties are serious about addressing the conflict or whether they are frustrated with efforts to do so. In some of our cases, more than one agency or stakeholder was involved in the handling of the land case. By knowing the latest status, the parties involved can better coordinate, share up-to-date information, and avoid overlapping or duplicating efforts. The team handling the conflict can then formulate a new approach or change the conflict handling strategy. 

Knowing the four types of data as outlined above and including those in the conflict report will hopefully help us get a response to the conflict report submitted. Although, in reality, a conflict report with complete data will not necessarily be able to trigger a response from the authorities, at least it will attract the attention of the stakeholders. And at the very least, knowing the data helps to prepare a more adequate report that stakeholders can consider in their efforts to deal with the conflict.

Photo by Rahmad Himawan.