The below article was translated by Landesa from the original Indonesian. It was originally published by Kupangnews.com on Monday, 23 June 2025.
Government of Ngada Regency, BPN/ATR and Yayasan Landesa Bumi Indonesia signed a MoU at Setda Ngada Hall. Monday, (6/23). (Saver Bhula/Kupangnews.com)
By Saver Bhula
BAJAWA, KUPANGNEWS.COM — The Government of Ngada Regency, in partnership with the Ngada Land Office (BPN/ATR) and Yayasan Landesa Bumi Indonesia, officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and handed over a copy of the Daftar Tanah Ulayat (DTU – Customary Land Register) to the Karo Indigenous Community on Monday (June 23, 2025), at the Ngada Regency Hall.
This handover marks a historic milestone for the Karo customary law community, as their ulayat land of 2.3 hectares has, for the first time, been officially recorded in the national land administration system.
The registration process was conducted bottom-up and participatory, making it the first of its kind in Indonesia.
The event was attended by Ngada Regent Raymundus Bena, Head of the Ngada Land Office Eduward M.Y.T. Tuka, Director of Yayasan Landesa Bumi Indonesia, Mardha Tillah, Chair of the Ngada Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), members of the regional leadership coordination forum (Forkompimda), subdistrict heads, village heads from Were I, Were IV, and Radabata, as well as representatives and customary elders of Suku Karo.
The registration process began in December 2024 through a series of public outreach sessions and community discussions involving all segments of the Karo community, including women and youth.
During the process, the community gathered data, conducted participatory mapping, and reached consensus on customary land boundaries, which were then submitted to the Land Office.
Chief of Suku Karo, Arnoldus Dolo, called the day a historic moment.
“Today, the state recognizes our collective rights to land. We encourage other sukus in Ngada to follow this path,” he said.
Ngada Regent Raymundus Bena stated that the local government has also issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the Recognition and Protection of Indigenous Peoples (Masyarakat Hukum Adat – MHA), as part of its commitment to strengthening indigenous rights.
“Recognition of MHA also means recognition of local wisdom systems, including customary land and natural resource governance,” the Regent explained.
Eduward Tuka, Head of the Ngada Land Office, emphasized that the Karo community now possesses written, state-recognized proof of ownership to safeguard their customary lands.
“This is the result of a collaborative effort that deserves appreciation,” he said.
Mardha Tillah, Director of Yayasan Landesa Bumi Indonesia, praised the participatory and transparent approach taken in the registration process.
She stressed the importance of ensuring that customary tenure systems passed down through generations are not erased.
“Customary land registration must respect the diversity of indigenous systems and be based on the principle of free, prior, and informed consent,” said Mardha.
Following the event at the regency hall, the Landesa team continued outreach activities to the Ngusumana area in North Bajawa District to engage with other indigenous communities.
Tanah ulayat refers to land collectively owned by an indigenous people or community and is commonly used together for forests, grazing areas, or other natural resources.
Although not yet fully mapped, parts of the Suku Karo’s ulayat land have been allocated to traditional houses (Sao) but remain under customary law.
The Karo tribe is one of over 500 sukus in Ngada Regency. They reside in Were I and Were IV villages and have more than 400 members—60% men and 40% women.
With the registration of their ulayat land, the Suku Karo’s status as a customary law community has now received formal recognition from the state, serving as an example for other indigenous groups across Indonesia. (*)