The Agrarian Renewal Consortium (KPA) held a National Assembly (Munas) in Cisarua, Bogor, on February 25-28, 2013. There were several panel discussions held in the series of this KPA Munas. For example, a sharp critique was present in the panel discussion with the theme “Masterplan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia’s Economic Development (MP3EI) Space Politics, Ecological Crisis, Human Rights, and Conflict Resolution Institutionalization.”

This panel was managed together with HuMa, Participatory Mapping Network (JKPP), Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago (Aman), ELSAM, and Walhi. Aside from this panel, HuMa was also involved in a panel with the theme “Institutionalization of Forestry Tenure Conflict Resolution” together with the Epistema Institute.

The MP3EI as an economic development strategy claimed by the Government will position Indonesia as a developed country by 2025. The indicators include, among others, a per capita income ranging from USD 14,250 to USD 15,500 and a total economic value (GDP) ranging from USD 4.0-4.5 trillion.

To achieve this, the Government set prerequisites including a real economic growth of 6.4 to 7.5 percent in the period 2011-2014, and a decrease in inflation from 6.5 percent in 2011-2014 to 3 percent in 2025.

The MP3EI is essentially implemented based on the potential and advantages of each region in Indonesia. The entire Indonesian region has been divided based on its potential and development plans, which are then designated as economic corridors. There are a total of six economic corridors.

For example, the island of Kalimantan (Kalimantan Economic Corridor) in this MP3EI has a development theme as the “Center for Production and Processing of Mining Products and National Energy Barn.” Its main strategy is to encourage large-scale investments from State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), national private enterprises, and foreign direct investment (FDI). For Kalimantan, economic activities are focused on: palm oil, coal, alumina/bauxite, oil and gas, timber, iron and steel.

Since the launch of MP3EI at the end of May 2011, there were 94 main economic and infrastructure projects that had been ground-breaking by the end of December 2011 with a value of Rp. 490.5 trillion. The allocation of funds was as follows:
– Government: Rp.71.6 trillion (24 projects)
– BUMN: Rp. 131 trillion (24 projects)
– Private sector: Rp. 168.6 trillion (38 projects)
– Mixed ownership: Rp. 128.3 trillion (8 projects)

There are several question marks regarding the implementation of the MP3EI. Abetnego Tarigan, the Executive Director of WALHI, discussed environmental crises, agrarian conflicts, efforts, and the space that can be targeted for the impacts of MP3EI policies.

He mentioned that several main causes of environmental crises include land use conversion, pollution, degradation, and deforestation. This is caused by the opening of mining, large plantations, tourism, industries, and infrastructure development in agricultural areas and their supporting regions.

In 2012, according to Abetnego, there were 503 floods and landslides that killed 125 people, as well as forest and land fires covering at least 17,000 hectares. It is estimated that 470 Watershed Areas (DAS) were damaged. The ecological crisis resulting from these events includes loss of life, decreased productivity of the people, and loss of people’s livelihood sources.

Questions about the MP3EI policy also arose from Laksmi A. Savitri, a member of the JKPP National Council. According to Laksmi, the MP3EI is a form of implementing New Order policies, similar to the Outline of State Policy (GBHN) during the reform era. Laksmi considered MP3EI as only emphasizing an accumulation logic, a logic that seeks production spaces for capitalist interests.

“MP3EI is the embodiment of connectivity with frontier politics to seek maximum profit,” said Laksmi in Panel 2 discussions. Further, Laksmi elaborated on frontier politics, which is the politics of land liberation and expansion to broaden the state’s economic system, as happened in America during the Western Movement. Certainly, frontier politics in modern times like this lacks urban spatial planning and will only benefit local brokers or mafias.

In this discussion, there were responses from participants criticizing the MP3EI policy. One of them came from Bayu from LBH Jember MP3EI, where Java would only develop in the Northern region while the Southern part of Java remains oppressed by industries, such as in Jember where there