EN 
ID Ngada, June 23, 2025. The first bottom-up administration of customary land in Indonesia has finally materialized. The Karo Tribe’s 2.3082 hectares of comunal land in Golewa District, Ngada Regency, Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT) is registered in the national land system in the form of a Customary Land List (DTU), so that it is no longer considered empty land without an owner. This became possible following the issuance of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency Regulation (Permen ATR/BPN) No. 14 of 2024 concerning the Implementation of Land Administration and Land Registration of Customary Rights of Customary Law Communities. A copy of the Customary Land Register was handed over by the Head of the Land Office (kantah) of Ngada Regency on Monday, May 23, 2025 witnessed by the Regent of Ngada, Raymundus Bena, S.S., M.Hum, Regional Leaders who are members of Forkompinda and all levels of government in Ngada Regency as well as the committee of the customary law communities of Ngada Regency and other Indigenous Peoples Institutions in the same district.
The customary elders and community members of the Karo tribe, including women and the younger generation of the Karo Tribe, have conducted a series of activities prior to submitting their customary land administration to the Ngada Regency Land Office over the past six months. Starting in December 2024, socialization on the customary land administration and registration program was conducted by the Ngada Regency Office in collaboration with Landesa Indonesia to provide information and obtain input from all elements of the Karo Tribe community. Furthermore, the community deliberated to reach an agreement to administer their customary land so that the existence of the customary land was formally registered as the ownership of the Karo Tribe community. Then, members of the Karo tribe, including elders and women, conducted participatory mapping accompanied by Land Office of Ngada and facilitated by Landesa Indonesia in collaboration with the Participatory Mapping Working Network (JKPP). Once the participatory map was completed, various further deliberations were held until finally the application for the administration of the Karo Tribe’s customary land was made to Land Office of Ngada on February 13, 2025. Furthermore, Land Office of Ngada conducted verification and cadastral processes, until finally the customary land of the Karo Tribe community was successfully registered in the National Land Database and a copy of Daftar Tanah Ulayat was handed over to the Karo Tribe community today.
For the Karo people, the administration of their customary land in the form of a Customary Land List (Daftar Tanah Ulayat) is a sign of protection by the Government for their existence from the perspective of the existence of their customary land objects.
“Today we, the Karo tribe customary law community, feel that today is a historic day for us. Today we have land that is the common property of the tribe has been recognized by the state. We also invite other tribes to register their customary land as we have started with the Ngada Regency Government, the Ngada Land Office and Landesa Indonesia,” said Arnoldus Dolo, Head of the Karo Tribe, Golewa District, Ngada Regency.
“We are very happy. Because our work with the Local Government, the Land Office and Landesa Indonesia has paid off. Our ancestral land from the Karo tribe has been recognized by the government. The land boundaries have coordinates and are recognized by the owner who borders us. Our children and descendants will be comfortable to protect and manage the land that has been registered.” Said Mariana Deso, one of the administrators in the Karo Tribe.
Protecting and recognizing the existence of indigenous peoples in Ngada Regency is also the focus of the Ngada Regency Government. In his speech, the Ngada Regent stated that, “efforts to recognize customary law communities means respecting and recognizing various local wisdom systems that have been compiled by ancestors, and getting to know Ngada culture will lead to the recognition of its land tenure system. This is a program of the Ngada Regional Government for the next 5 years.” Following the administration of the first participatory communal land in Ngada, namely the Karo Tribe customary land, the Ngada Regency Government has also issued an SOP for the Recognition and Protection of Customary Law Communities as a form of commitment and an effort to accelerate the recognition and protection of customary law communities in Ngada Regency.
The Head of the Ngada Land Office stated that “The Karo Tribe is a representation of the indigenous people in Ngada Regency. Today we handed over a copy of the Customary Land List to the Karo Tribe. This document is a guide for the Karo Tribe for generations. This is a joint effort between the Karo tribe, the Ngada Regency Government, the Ngada Land Office and Landesa Indonesia.”
Landesa Indonesia appreciates the work of the Ngada Regency Government and the Ngada Land Office in accommodating the request of the Karo indigenous people of Golewa District, Ngada Regency to have their customary land recorded in the form of a Customary Land Register (Daftar Tanah Ulayat). The most important thing is how the administration and registration of customary land does not actually eliminate the richness of the tenure system of indigenous people which is very diverse, and must be carried out based on the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (PADIATAPA/FPIC), which is in accordance with the wishes and agreements of indigenous peoples, as happened today for the Karo Tribe.
Contacts:
Alfridus Dedho (Landesa Indonesia): 081236400766
Fransisca Yohanna (BPN Ngada): 082192443824
Note:
- Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (PermenATR/BPN) No. 14 of 2024 concerning the Implementation of Land Administration and Registration of Customary Rights Land for Customary Law Communities is one of the government’s efforts to protect the existence of customary law communities in Indonesia, as well as to meet the target of national complete land registration. Unlike the Complete Systematic Land Registration (PTSL) program, the Customary Land Administration and Registration program is a program that allows for recognition of customary/communal land of indigenous peoples, while PTSL is generally an individual land registration.
- The Karo tribe is one of the tribes in Ngada Regency. The total number of tribes in Ngada Regency is more than 500.
- The members of the Karo Tribe number more than 400 individuals, of which about 60% are men and 40% are women. Most of the Karo tribe inhabit the administrative area of Were I and Were IV Villages in Golewa District.
- Customary land is land that is still used collectively and has not been divided to members of the tribe’s family. Generally, communal land is in the form of forests, or grazing fields, as well as other functions that are jointly utilized by tribal members.
- The Karo Tribe’s administered communal land area of 2.3082 hectares is in the customary territory of the Karo Tribe community, which is still not fully mapped. Other parts of the land besides the communal land have been divided to each Sao but, as according to the Karo people, the lands that have been controlled by the family remain subject to tribal rules.
