Edition 128: Apr-Jun 2017 - Inside Indonesia: The peoples and cultures of Indonesia

Nov 21, 2024 Last Updated 2:20 AM, Oct 31, 2024

Inside Indonesia

New law, new villages?

One of many seminars for discussing the content of new Village Law (© Yando Zakaria, Yogyakarta, July 2013)

The new Village Law could substantially change Indonesia’s villages. Not necessarily for the better.

Creating Indonesia’s Village Law

A coalition of civil society organisations campaigned for the new Village Law. (©Yando Zakaria, Jakarta 4 July 2013)

How a law that goes against many vested interests was enacted

The myth of the harmonious village

Abraham Salm, ‘Village feast in the vicinity of Ardjoeno, Surabaya residency’ - Source: KITLV digital image library, http://media-kitlv.nl

Indonesia’s Village Law fails to provide village communities with control over their elites

New law, old bureaucracy

‘New Law - new village office’ seems to be the rule all over the country (© Jacqueline Vel, Central Sumba, August 2016)

Taking stock after two years of village law implementation

The village head as patron

Although illegal, village heads often support candidates during district head elections - Source: Ward Berenschot

The Village Law might restore the dominance that village heads enjoyed under Suharto

Participation in Ngada

Discussion about village development in a Ngada hamlet - Source: Lily Hoo

Why residents in Ngada district are exceptionally eager to take part in village meetings

When village development fails

A ‘development monument’: an unused Community Health center in Papua - Source: Yulia Indri Sari

Faulty administrative procedures led to the misuse of village development funds in Papua

Traditional village institutions and the Village Law

Villagers staging a protest in Bali - Source: Agung Wardana

The Village Law provides recognition for traditional village institutions, but villagers in Bali and Mentawai are not interested

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