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View all search resultsHome Ministry steps up efforts to resolve island boundary disputes
Following a rise in administrative claims over regional islands, possibly triggered by the recent Aceh-North Sumatra dispute, the Home Ministry plans to engage with relevant state and local institutions to review, remap and ultimately resolve any outstanding boundary issues.
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A lagoon surrounded by limestone islands protects a vibrant and diverse coral reef in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, in this stock illustration. (Shutterstock/Ethan Daniels) (Shutterstock/Ethan Daniels)
T
he Home Ministry is doubling down on its efforts to resolve dozens of long-standing disputes over the administrative boundaries of regional islands, which have sparked concern over their potential to disrupt local development, fuel regional tensions and undermine national unity.
Tensions flared earlier this month after the ministry issued a decree to transfer control of four disputed islands from Aceh to North Sumatra, prompting President Prabowo Subianto to intervene amid fears the move could trigger unrest in Aceh, given the province’s history.
The case appears to have triggered a ripple effect, as other regions have come forward with unresolved claims, including a yearslong dispute between two neighboring regencies in East Java over 13 uninhabited islands and a contested claim between Bangka Belitung and Riau provinces over the Tujuh Islands.
Speaking on the sidelines of the ministry’s second retreat for regional leaders in West Java, Deputy Home Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto said the government would coordinate with relevant ministries, institutions and local administrations to remap all disputed islands to ensure accurate recordkeeping.
“The Home Ministry will intensify coordination with the [Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministry/National Land Agency] and regional administrations to make sure that no [island] is lost outside of legal procedures, and that all documentation is accurate and legally compliant,” Bima said on Monday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
Read also: Aceh-North Sumatra dispute triggers wider border tensions
Conflict prevention is part of the five-day retreat from June 22 to 26, which includes sessions on the resolution and codification of regional boundaries led by Regional Administration Director General Safrizal Zakaria Ali, incorporating feedback from regional leaders as well as recent developments.
