Hibernation of the Village Law in Large-Scale Palm Oil Plantations: A Case Study of Oil Palm Expansion in Sintang District, West Kalimantan

Abstract

This paper seeks to present the results of testing the implementation of the Village Law in villages covered by large-scale oil palm plantations. The socio-economic and political dynamics of villages with oil palm are in stark contrast to villages that are relatively free from the circle of the plantation capitalist system. This research examines it by focusing on the study of customary land acquisition practices and partnerships between smallholders and oil palm plantation companies in the Sintang District. Qualitative research using a case study approach which is the basis for writing this paper found that the Village Law, which many people hoped would free villages from the threats of the industrialization of forests and oil palm plantations, in fact, could not do much or, in the author's language, the Village Law was in hibernation.Tulisan ini berupaya menyajikan hasil uji pelaksanaan UU Desa di desa-desa yang berselubungkan lahan perkebunan sawit berskala besar. Dinamika sosial ekonomi dan politik desa-desa bersawit sangat kontras dengan desa-desa yang relatif bebas dari lingkaran sistem kapitalisme perkebunan. Penelitian ini mengujinya dengan menitikberatkan pada kajian praktik akuisisi lahan adat dan kemitraan antara petani dan perusahaan-perusahaan perkebunan sawit di Kabupaten Sintang. Penelitian kualitatif dengan pendekatan studi kasus yang menjadi basis penulisan paper ini menemukan bahwa UU Desa yang oleh banyak kalangan diharapkan dapat membebaskan desa dari ancaman sistem industrialisasi hutan dan perkebunan sawit, ternyata tidak bisa berbuat banyak atau dalam bahasa penulis, UU Desa mengalami hibernasi.