Provide the Space for Villagers to Resolve Disputes
Challenge
Land disputes or disagreements over the exact location of borders are common in areas where industrial concessions or national parks have been established. In Bentarum, there are several disagreements over sub-village and village boundaries. For example, Dayak Tamambaloh and Dayak Iban people in the Batang Kanyau/Sunge Tamambaloh region of Menua Sadap and Pulau Manak villages have been managing their customary territories for generations. However, the establishment of Bentung National Park in 1995 and the re-drawing of administrative boundaries exacerbated community tensions. Since 1995, the two ethnic groups have refused to work together, and efforts to obtain Hutan Adat in these areas have faltered over border disputes.
Solution
Provide the space for villagers to resolve disputes themselves. If necessary, we become a facilitator of discussions and provide useful reference points, without becoming involved in discussions. We facilitated discussions between Dayak Tamambaloh and Dayak Iban representatives, framed around reviving the value of Ensama – a principle of brotherhood and unity in Iban and Tamambaloh cultures. The discussions continued between representatives under this umbrella.
Progress
Between 2023 and 2025, Sangga Bumi facilitated dialogue between the two ethnic groups. On 19th March 2025, representatives from both ethnic groups formally signed a customary deliberation committing to resolving the conflict. On 16th April 2025, Pulau Manak village authorities signed a document giving consent for the Hutan Adat process to proceed in both villages. Their previous refusal to accept official boundaries had blocked all previous attempts to obtain Hutan Adat in the two villages.
