Conflict management approaches under unclear boundaries of the commons: experiences from Danau Sentarum National Park, Indonesia

Yurdi Yasmi ,Y Indriatmoko ,C.j.p Colfer ,L Yuliani ,V Heri

doi:10.1505/ifor.9.2.597

Abstract

SUMMARY Research on the role of local institutions in conflict management is still limited. This study highlights various inter-settlement conflicts over the issue of unclear resource boundaries in Danau Sentarum National Park, Indonesia. The park is home to two major ethnic groups (Dayak Iban and Malay) whose livelihoods are highly dependent on fish and forest resources available in the park area. We demonstrate how local institutions (adat) are used to address boundary conflicts and consider their effectiveness. The study also discusses challenges that adat face in ensuring the effectiveness of conflict management. We argue that enhancing communication and developing a mechanism of exchange among settlements engaged in conflict will promote better understanding of the problem and thus allows improvement in the current approaches in managing conflict. We propose a co-management arrangement to ensure the sustainability of the park and to constructively manage the conflict in the area.

Highlights

Conflict is an emotive term that provokes various images or associations amongst people
The use of resources such as timber and non timber forest products (NTFPs) is regulated by customary law, which stipulates, for instance, which trees can be harvested, which locations are prohibited for harvesting, how much can be harvested, and for what purposes the trees can be used
In Malay settlements timber is used for house and canoe construction, walkways, simple furniture, and floating fish cages

Summary

Introduction

Conflict is an emotive term that provokes various images or associations amongst people. As with all concepts in social sciences a bewildering variety of definitions co-exist (Wall and Callister 1995). Daniels and Walker (2001) suggest that all social conflicts are based on differences in things such as interest, perception, power and goals. Glasl (1999) argues that conflict only occurs if an actor feels ‘impairment’ from the behaviour of another actor. The experience of an actor’s behaviour as impairment becomes a prerequisite for conflict, thereby providing a clear criterion to distinguish conflict from non-conflict situations. In the context of common pool resource (CPR) management, impairment can be experienced, for example, in terms of restriction over access to certain forest or fish products, exclusion from resource management, pollution due to resource extraction, etc. In the context of common pool resource (CPR) management, impairment can be experienced, for example, in terms of restriction over access to certain forest or fish products, exclusion from resource management, pollution due to resource extraction, etc. (Ostrom 1990, Yasmi 2002, 2003, Peluso 1994, Adams et al 2003)

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