Addressing Land Disputes Through Legal Education: A Case Study in the Customary Community of Baduy, Banten

Abstract

Introduction:
Customary communities in Indonesia, such as the Baduy in Banten, possess unique land tenure systems rooted in ancestral traditions. However, increasing external pressures—including state development projects and land commodification—have triggered land disputes that challenge the integrity of customary law and the community’s territorial rights.

Purpose:
This study investigates how legal education can serve as a tool to address land disputes in the Baduy community by enhancing understanding of both customary and formal legal frameworks.

Method:
A qualitative case study method was employed, combining ethnographic fieldwork, semi-structured interviews with community members and legal facilitators, and analysis of statutory and customary land regulations. The research focused on participatory legal education efforts carried out by civil society organizations in partnership with local customary authorities.

Findings and Results:
The findings indicate that community-based legal education improved the Baduy people's ability to articulate their land rights in formal legal terms without undermining their customary values. The initiative contributed to more effective mediation in ongoing disputes and increased community engagement with external legal institutions. It also fostered dialogue between local leaders and government officials on land recognition issues.

Urgency:
With land pressures mounting in indigenous territories across Indonesia, there is a critical need for culturally sensitive legal interventions that empower customary communities without eroding their traditions.

Contribution:
This study demonstrates how legal education, when tailored to local sociocultural contexts, can bridge the gap between state law and customary law. It offers a model for rights-based approaches to dispute resolution in indigenous communities.

Recommendation:
Legal aid programs and land governance policies should integrate customary law principles and support legal education that respects indigenous knowledge systems. Government agencies should collaborate with customary leaders to ensure more inclusive and equitable land dispute mechanisms.