The certificates cannot be sold since the lands are communal in nature. Moreover, they will not be lost, so the people fully own the lands.
Jayapura (ANTARA) - Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning (ATR) Minister Hadi Tjahjanto handed over land management rights certificates to five indigenous Papuans in Kuipons village, Jayapura district, Papua province, on Tuesday.

The certificates were given to Agustinus Daka (for 3,271 square meters of land), Oktovianus Daka (1,867 square meters), Andarias Daka (1,731 square meters), Yason Daka (1,684 square meters), and Simon Petrus Daka (1,537 square meters).

The distribution of the land certificates reflects the government's acknowledgment of the right of indigenous people to manage their own lands, Minister Tjahjanto said in Sentani sub-district.

"The government guarantees the right of the indigenous people to either manage the lands on their own or manage their lands in collaboration with other parties (investors)," he affirmed.

The minister said that the government followed a long process before issuing the certificates of land management rights to the native Papuans.

"We had to give the people certainty and provide them with comprehensive information in order to make the government's intentions clear to them," he expounded.

He further said that the certificates will not and cannot be sold since they belong fully to the people.

"The certificates cannot be sold since the lands are communal in nature. Moreover, they will not be lost, so the people fully own the lands," he affirmed.

Tjahjanto then highlighted that the government will not impose taxes on the certified lands since they have been categorized as customary lands.

"The government fully supports the realization of the certification of customary lands," he added.

Meanwhile, Andarias Daka, one of the certificate recipients, extended his gratitude to the ATR Ministry for its genuine concern about the certification of lands in Papua.

"I am very pleased and happy because by possessing these certificates, we can get loans from banks to start running businesses. We can also cooperate with business actors seeking to invest here," he said.

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Translator: Yudhi E, Tegar Nurfitra Putra Rofian
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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