Two separate land disputes involving PT Inti Kebun Sejahtera (PT IKS) escalated in June 2026 as former transmigration residents in Klasof Village, Moisegen District, Sorong Regency, Southwest Papua Province, and members of the Moi indigenous Aresi clan sought legal remedies over alleged unlawful occupation and use of their land for oil palm plantations. The disputes concern allegations that the company has cultivated land without obtaining the free consent of landholders since 2007. Community representatives and legal advocates also accused the company of criminalising indigenous people defending their customary land rights.
Former transmigration residents seek compensation for 19 years of land use
On 24 June 2026, transmigration residents from Klasof Village, organised through the Klasof Village Nusantara Community Forum, participated in a mediation meeting facilitated by the Sorong Regency Government and LBH Papua Pos Sorong. The meeting addressed allegations that PT IKS had planted oil palm on privately owned land covered by Certificates of Freehold without the owners' consent since 2007.
Representing the community, forum chairman Martinus Paru stated that residents had repeatedly protested the company's activities over the years but had never received an adequate response. Company representatives acknowledged that an internal review had failed to identify any written agreements authorising the use of the residents' land, although the company maintained that verbal consent had been provided when operations commenced. PT IKS further argued that its current management, which assumed responsibility after 2020, should only be liable for claims arising from that period onwards.
LBH Papua Pos Sorong rejected this position, arguing that changes in corporate ownership or management do not extinguish existing legal obligations. The legal aid organisation argued that using land without the owner's consent may constitute an unlawful act giving rise to civil liability.
The mediation produced two provisional agreements. PT IKS agreed to coordinate with the National Land Agency (BPN) to conduct a new survey confirming the extent of residents' land occupied by oil palm plantations. The company also agreed to consult its central management regarding compensation for land use between 2020 and 2025, based on a proposed rate of Rp250,000 per hectare per month. The community formally requested that the Sorong Regent ensure compensation is paid for the entire period from 2007 to 2026 and called for a clear written agreement governing any future use of residents' land.
Moi Aresi clan alleges occupation of customary land without consent
In a separate but related dispute, LBH Papua Pos Sorong issued a public statement on 24 June 2026 supporting the Moi indigenous Aresi clan. Aresi Clan members alleged that PT IKS has carried out oil palm plantation activities within the clan's customary land without obtaining their consent since the company's arrival in 2007.
According to LBH, the Aresi clan never released or transferred its customary land to the company and had publicly rejected the plantation project through a customary oath when PT IKS first entered the area. The organisation further alleged that consultations and boundary demarcation processes failed to involve all members of the clan. The community only became aware of official maps covering their customary territory following a boundary survey conducted in February 2024.
LBH stated that community members had erected traditional barriers on four occasions to oppose plantation activities but alleged that PT IKS employees had removed these barriers and continued forest clearing without the community's permission. The organisation also questioned whether PT IKS possessed the necessary legal authorisations, stating that during mediation at Sorong Police Station on 22 June 2026, company representatives reportedly acknowledged that the Business Use Right (Hak Guna Usaha – HGU) for the disputed plantation area was still being processed.
The land dispute has also resulted in criminal proceedings against members of the Aresi clan. According to LBH Papua Pos Sorong, PT IKS filed a police complaint on 11 June 2026, registered under STLB/69/VI/2026/SPKT-I/Sorong Police Station/Southwest Papua, alleging criminal fraud by several members of the indigenous community.
LBH characterised the complaint as an attempt to criminalise indigenous people defending their customary land rights and called on the Sorong District Police and Southwest Papua Regional Police to close the investigation against Aresi clan members. LBH also urged authorities to investigate allegations that forest clearing, occupation of customary land and oil palm cultivation had proceeded without the required permits, while calling on the Sorong Regent to establish a dispute resolution team under Sorong Regency Regional Regulation No. 10 of 2017 on the Recognition and Protection of the Moi Customary Law Community.
At the time of reporting, no official response had been issued by either PT IKS or the police addressing LBH's demands.
Human rights analysis
Both disputes raise concerns regarding the protection of property rights and the rights of indigenous peoples to own, control and use their traditional lands. Allegations that land has been occupied and cultivated without the free consent of landholders for nearly two decades, together with claims that indigenous communities opposing plantation development have been subjected to criminal proceedings, warrant independent investigation. The reported absence of documented agreements, questions concerning land tenure and plantation permits, and allegations of inadequate consultation further highlight the importance of ensuring that commercial activities affecting indigenous territories comply with domestic law and Indonesia's international human rights obligations.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-102-2026
Location: Klasof, Moisegen District, Sorong Regency Klasof Village, Moisegen District, Sorong Regency
Region: Indonesia > Southwest Papua > Sorong > Moisegen
Total number of victims: hundreds
1. Hundreds, mixed unknown Indigenous Peoples, Peasant criminalisation
Period of incident: 24/06/2026-23/07/2026
Perpetrator: Private Company
Perpetrator details: PT Inti Kebun Sejahtera
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC, indigenous peoples