Advocacy Campaign Paper

LEGAL PAPERS FOR IDPs LAND OWNERSHIP ADVOCACY

1. Background of Advocacy

During the conflict in Poso district, most of the Christians in Poso town, Poso Pesisir and some suburbs ran away to Tentena areas, and they were living there as IDPs, at the same time due to the tensions most of the Muslims in Tentena ran away to Poso town and suburbs and lived there as IDPs.  So, the Christians (Native and IDPs) captured Muslims’ land in Tentena and the same happened to the Lands of the Christians in Poso town and suburbs.

Both the parties claim that the lands of each other are not captured and could be returned, but no body is moving with actions! This is because no one has legal papers for their lands in both the sides, the government for a long time has been in difficult situation regarding this issue, but during the first quarter of the year the government has taken some small initiative, yet government too is in dilemma when it comes to providing legal documents and dragging the issue some more.

As the government’s ignorance about the existence of IDPs in Poso and Tentena by declaring that there are no more people with status as IDPs, I will work with my organization to conduct an advocacy project. There are two reasons why I need to involve my organization dealing with this issue; firstly, I realized how importance this issue to the local people as well as my organization peace campaign. Secondly, I realized that an individual working alone without a group or organization is unlikely to make a significant impact on any social or political issue.    

In the contrary to the government’s declaration, there are about more than 200 hundreds of IDPs spreading out in Tentena and some others in Poso Kota. This is a clear message for us that the government especially the local government is ignoring the IDPs and indeed if this issue is not addressed, then surely this will further worsen the situation and even becomes the new sources of conflict.

As a consequence, most of the IDPs have difficulty in dealing with their own property whenever they went back to their original place. One of the problems they have especially in Poso and Tentena is getting their land back. Most of the time other local people have used the land, and when they claim the land they cannot make it because they have no proof of it. This then, creates another tension and if it does not resolve it can create another conflict.  In addition to this, the land dispute-related issue usually involves the land left by IDPs as well as the land occupied by IDPs. Other than the lack of traditional land borders, the lack of clear and written record on land and ownership is something that encourages land dispute.

Many little people doing many little things in many little places can change the face of the world!

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