The strategy of women in facing agrarian land conflict: Case of female farmers of Makassar Ethnics

Abstract

One of the crucial issues in developing country is land conflict. It occured since 1978 and still unsolved. This research aimed to investigate and analyze (1) the social and cultural values of Makassarese Women (2) the impact of the land conflict on Makassarese Women, (3) the strategy of female farmers in facing land conflict. The research was conducted in the villages of Timbuseng and Kampung Beru, North Polongbangkeng Sub-District, Takalar Regency, Indonesia. The research employed qualitative method combined with ethnography case study with in-depth interviews, observation, document study, and focus group discussion (FGD). The results indicate that the land conflict happened in North Polongbangkeng Sub-District had an impact on the socio-economic and cultural life of the community. The women had to play a role and the same position as the man in productive, social and domestic matters. For 25 years, the community had to avoid and wait. Since 2007, the community had thought that the contact with PTPN XIV land had ended and the community could take over the land they owned. The strategy done by women was to join the man in their fight to get back their land. They started with confronting actions to forming an organization called Polongbangkeng Farmers Unity. In 2014 the partnership program was established as an effort to settle the land conflict, though until now this program had not answered the primary needs of the community in the region.