Article Type: Research Article Article Citation: Aarce Tehupeiory.
(2021). SASI - BASED PROTECTION FOREST STRATEGY IN MALUKU (AMBON). International
Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH, 9(3), 221-228. https://doi.org/10.29121/granthaalayah.v9.i3.2021.3809 Received Date: 10 March2021 Accepted Date: 31 March 2021 Keywords: Sasi-Based
Protection Local Wisdom Sago Covid-19 This research is about Sasi-based protection forest strategy, it is done to find out how the Sasi-based protection strategy mechanism in protecting the forest. The research method used is a qualitative research method with a normative legal research. The research was conducted at Universitas Kristen Indonesia from January to March 2021. The objects studied in this study were documents either in reports or regulations related to indigenous peoples' local wisdom. The research instrument used was a document checklist. The data analysis technique used is the descriptive analysis technique. The result of the research is that traditional Sasi wisdom has values and norms to protect forests, water sources, annual plants and food plants. With the concept and understanding of how environmental managers with various customary rules to obtain benefits and maintain the kinship value of area units that already have an identity and must continuously be maintained in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, food security for indigenous peoples on the island of Maluku (Ambon) during the Covid-19 pandemic, namely by building food security by encouraging a new paradigm based on local food with directions and policies for developing food security and absorption of dryland technology to support sustainable food self-sufficiency through sources.
1. INTRODUCTIONOne of the factors that caused the failure of
positive laws in forest protection was eliminating taboos and prohibitions on
forests that indigenous communities had practiced for centuries as part of
local forestry law content. Besides, residents around the forest are less
involved in maintaining the surrounding forest, which should be they are the
ones who move quickly and report every act of forest destruction that occurs in
their area [1]. However, because the prevailing forest
protection law system alienates people around the forest, people tend to ignore
forest encroachment cases, even though they are aware of it. The village
community considers the responsibility for forest protection to be the
authority of the forestry police apparatus. The forest condition, which is getting more
and more damaged due to encroachment by irresponsible people, is evidence that
there has not been any cooperation between the government and the customary law
community [2]. Therefore, sustainable and equitable
forestry development can be achieved if there is a paradigm shift. The new
paradigm of forestry development is a shift in orientation from forest
management to resource-based management, centralized management to
decentralized and more equitable resource management. For this reason,
customary law communities living around the forest need to be involved as
mandated by law. In the era of regional autonomy, it is worth
considering efforts to revitalize the participation of customary law
communities in managing, maintaining forest sustainability by conducting a
review, directing the pattern of forest protection regulations by adopting
local law values that had been in effect during the pre-state law (state law).
Opportunity to re-enforce local legal rules constitutionally has a foothold
based on the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia Article 18 B
paragraph (2), which states that "The State recognizes and respects
indigenous peoples and their traditional rights as long as they are alive and
following the development of society and the principles of the Unitary State of
the Republic of Indonesia, which are regulated in law" [3]. Besides, the operational juridical
recognition of customary law communities has a legal basis in Law Number 5 of
1960 concerning Basic Agrarian Principles. Article 3, in essence, determines
"... the exercise of customary rights and similar rights from customary
law communities, as long as they still exist, it must be in such a way that it
is in line with the national and state interests ... ". Besides, Law
Number 41, the Year 1999 concerning Forestry in Article 67 also recognizes
customary law communities. The recognition of the existence of customary law
communities is also strengthened in Law Number 32 of 2004 concerning Regional
Government in Article 2 paragraph (9), which stipulates that the state
recognizes and respects indigenous peoples and their traditional rights as long
as they are still alive and following the development of society and the
principles of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia [4]. The forest in the local legal conception of
the six indigenous communities of Maluku (Ambon) is a place that is overgrown
with a wide variety of large trees hundreds of years old, high density and
humidity, and a place to live various types of wild and wild animals and even
spirits. The concept of forest in local law contains the philosophy of life
that all kinds of living things in the forest, whether in the form of plants,
animals, even supernatural beings, each have their function and role, which
synergistically maintains order, goodness and balance of nature [5]. Order, goodness and balance of the universe
concerning forest functions, such as not occurring floods, landslides, drought,
maintaining soil fertility, and preventing the occurrence of other natural
disasters can disturb the tranquillity and peace of life of all community
members, such as epidemics of infectious diseases and wild animal disturbances. Forest, part of the land in customary law
communities, is jointly owned. Only the right to use it is the individual.
Forests as joint property rights have developed in every indigenous community
in Maluku (Ambon), while management rights are granted based on a customary
agreement that binds each member of the clan. The community uses forest resources
to ensure the survival of individuals, groups and even clans [6]. Ownership rights over forests reside with
the customary law community unit, which is called marga in the Maluku (Ambon)
area. In contrast, the right to manage is given to
a member of the customary law community concerned about the customary rights
over the forest with all its inherent obligations. A member of an association
has the right to open land (forest) to work the land continuously and plant
trees to have ownership rights over the land. If the lands are abandoned and no
longer taken care of for years, the lands will be controlled again by ulayat
rights. "The legal relationship between customary law communities and
their territorial forests creates rights that give the community, as a legal
group, the right to collect forest products for the welfare of the community.
It is the original and primary right under local law covering all forests in
indigenous and tribal peoples. Regarding the information above, the
implementation of forest protection must be increased immediately. One way that
can be done in Maluku (Ambon) is by implementing the Sasi policy. Sasi is a
local with values and norms to protect forests, water sources, annual plants
(Sago), food crops, nutmeg plants, trees that are hundreds of years old or
forest trees. So, this research describes the traditional sasi, which has
values and norms to protect forests, water sources, annual plants (Sago), food
crops, nutmeg plants, trees that are hundreds of years old or forest trees. It
is the source of life for indigenous peoples to benefit and maintain the
kinship value of an area unit that already has an identity and is continuously
obliged to be maintained. In particular for indigenous peoples in preventing a
food crisis. To realize food sovereignty through local food sources, Sago as a
source of food and community nutrition is a typical food from Maluku province
(Ambon Island). The community's role on the island of Ambon (Maluku) in
realizing food sovereignty is essential to discuss in the Easter Covid-19
pandemic [7],[8]. Therefore, through the realization of
indigenous peoples' role in environmental management and traditional local
wisdom, sasi is an interesting issue to discuss by giving birth to a new
paradigm, namely the paradigm of environmental management of various local food
security. One of them is very important in the food tradition of eastern
communities such as Maluku, where local food sources such as Sago and tubers have
lived with local people together for thousands of years and continue to be a
saviour of nutrition the Covid-19 pandemic [9]. Therefore, reserchers are very interested in
studying forest protection based on Sasi. The problem addressed in this study
is implementing a strategy for forest protection based on Sasi in Maluku
(Ambon). 2. METHODThe
research method used is a qualitative research method with a normative legal
research design (in the form of an inventory of local laws (customary law or
customary rules that have been stated in written form such as functionary
decisions, village regulations, etc.). It is done to see how the legal work
mechanism. The research was conducted at Universitas Kristen Indonesia from
January to March 2021. The objects studied in this study were documents either
in reports or regulations related to indigenous peoples' local wisdom, and the
instrument used in this research is a document checklist. The data analysis
technique used is the descriptive analysis technique. The data obtained,
compiled in the manner described above, will be systematically compiled for
subsequent content analysis qualitatively and finally written what should be
done (perspective). 3. RESULT AND DISCUSSIONThe term
local law denotes the law that is currently in force and maintained at the
local level, regardless of where the law originates, and one of those local
laws is customary law. Local law is not limited to customary law but includes
all written and unwritten regulations currently or have ever been in effect in
an area [10]. Local law in the context of this research
includes local laws in six indigenous communities in Bengkulu which are
unwritten, such as the customary forestry laws of Rejang, Serawai, Pekal,
Lembak, Mukomuko, Kaur, and Sasi, which contain regulations regarding forest
protection, and customary law. Thus, the limitation of local law in this study
is customary law itself as the most dominant rule enriching local legal rules,
and other rules which have initially been elements of customary law but have
been given a written form, such as the Sasi Law as one of the strategies that
can protect Forest. Sasi is a
prohibition to take something that has been determined not to be taken for a
particular time, and if someone violates it, it will bring danger to those who
take it [11]. This sasi is usually opened when it has
been determined and something that is prohibited can be taken to be
appropriately used for the community. The problem after the Covid-19 pandemic
is not just a health problem but has had a widespread impact on various aspects
of life, including economic, social, cultural and legal fields [12],[13]. One of them is the spike in cases after the
Covid -19 pandemic, the uncertainty of food and economic needs in each region.
For areas that are red zones for the Covid-19 pandemic, supervision of the
distribution of goods and services, including food needs, is limited. Indonesian
Customary Law gives the meaning that customary law communities in Indonesia can
be divided into two groups according to the basic structure, namely based on
the relationship of a descent (genealogy) and based on the regional environment
(territorial). With the above definition, the customary community is a
community unit that regularly resides in a particular area, has a leader and
has tangible and intangible wealth and can utilize and preserve local wisdom
resources carried out by the community. For example, with their local wisdom,
the indigenous people of Maluku are Sago as a local food source with local
communities for thousands of years. Local
wisdom consists of two words: wisdom and local. Local means local, while wisdom
is the same as wisdom. In general, local wisdom can be understood as local
ideas that are wise, full of wisdom, of suitable value, which are embedded and
followed by members of the community. Local wisdom is found in society,
community and individuals [14]. Thus, local wisdom is a traditional view
and knowledge that becomes a reference in behaviour and has been practised from
generation to generation to meet the needs and challenges in a community's
life. Local wisdom has a function and meaning in society both in the
preservation of natural and human resources, customs and culture, and
beneficial for life. The local
wisdom regulated in Article 1, number 30 of Law No. 30 of 2009 states that
local wisdom is noble values that apply in the order of community life to,
among others, protect and manage the environment as a whole. Natural resource
utilization policies must have a macro vision to create a sustainable ecology.
Meanwhile, the micro vision is to maintain sustainable types of diversity.
Besides, natural resources must also have a current sense of intergenerational justice
(between community groups) and intergenerational justice. Local wisdom creates
harmony between nature and society. Local wisdom grows from the community's
character and culture, which is rooted and has been passed down from generation
to generation as a way of life to unite social culture with the natural
surroundings [15]. For indigenous people, they place natural
problems as a form of interaction in responding to all human behaviour
(society) that treats them. God created man as a leader on earth to manage
nature with everything in it ideally and adequately to help humans
continuously. Humans' process of managing nature needs to be seen whether the
treatment is in the context of obedience or evil so that nature will balance
with its strength because nature has absolute obedience to God. Utilization of
nature in this view is not only in terms of knowledge about the universe as a
system but also in social phenomena that arise from interactions between humans
and their various problems. Human
behaviour can be observed, cared for, understood and lived, giving birth to
awareness and belief in the truth concerning normative values (law), not only
must be obeyed as an obligation but also awareness and belief in the generosity
or wrath of nature, which constantly directs humans towards safety and welfare
or vice versa to destruction/disaster. Local wisdom contains meaning as a form
of the harmonious relationship between humans and nature or vice versa; local
people understand the wisdom in its totality in utilizing natural resources.
Adherence to customary law (ulayat), which is a legacy from previous
generations, must be adequately utilized due to future generations' impact [16]. Natural resources are used
optimally but not for use because there are rights for the next generation.
Therefore, natural resources must be managed optimally and sustainably in a
long-term process as the basis for sustainable development to be passed on to
future generations. Meanwhile,
environmentally sustainable development is a translation of "sustainable
development", the concept of development which was previously known, is
more popularly used as the term "environmentally sound development"
as a translation of "Eco-development" [17]. The above affirmation shows that
environmentally sustainable development is closely related to natural resources
utilization as an asset to create people's welfare. Article 1 point 3 of Law
No. 30 of 2009 states that sustainable development is a conscious and planned
effort that integrates environmental, social and economic aspects into a
development strategy to ensure environmental integrity and safety, capability,
welfare and quality of life of future generations. Development
is basically about creating and improving welfare for society in a sustainable
manner, and it is marked by positive economic growth. Utilization of natural
resources is one of the capitals of the regional development process. Regional
development will be sustainable (sustainable) if the sources of growth are
maintained at all times [18]. Therefore, it is essential to preserve
natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations. For
Indonesia, a reliable contribution in contributing to economic growth and a
source of foreign exchange and development capital is from natural resources.
Natural resources have an essential role in the Indonesian economy in the past,
present and future. On the
other hand, the sustainability of its availability is often ignored. Besides,
the rules must be adhered to as a basis for business management implementation
and supporting the economic development sector. There is a tendency for a
decrease in the carrying capacity of the environment and the depletion of the
availability of natural resources, and a decrease in the environment's quality [19]. In general, it can be said that all types
of natural resources and their environmental components must be managed
following their carrying capacity. In various indigenous communities in the
Maluku Islands and North Maluku, there are systems of allocation management
(use) and integrated management of land and sea ecosystems that are distinctly
local, complete with traditional institutions that ensure that these local
systems work effectively. To date, only a tiny part of modern science has known
about these local systems. Local
wisdom about the customary tradition of sasi, which is still widely found in
most Maluku parts, regulates the sustainable use of certain areas and
biological species. Sasi prohibits extracting natural resources in an area for
a certain period, usually six months to one year. The goal is to preserve the
environment and ensure more quality and outstanding results in the future. The
essence of sasi is very noble for the community's welfare and the preservation
of natural resources [20]. Sasi begins with a traditional ceremony,
then a prayer by traditional leaders, and ends with the installation of sasi in
three yellow janur and ai num wood embedded in the sasi location. One example
of the implementation of sasi in Taar Village is the prohibition of anyone
taking fish from Teluk Un. After one year, the implementation of the sasi was
opened (the sasi was revoked). The fish results in Un Bay were abundant because
of the abundance, some of the fish was sold, and the money was used to build village
infrastructure, including building a new church. Sasi is also often used to
protect forests or is routinely used to ensure the Lola (clam) population;
wherever sasi is installed, indigenous people refrain from violating it. They
believe that if it is violated, a disaster will immediately fall upon them. Maluku
Province has an area of 712,479.65 km with a sea area of 658,294.69 km2 and an
area of 54,185 km2 with 1,340 islands divided into 1,336 small islands, four
large islands with islands on the border of 19 islands with a long coastline of
10,630.10 km, Regency/City 9/2 Regencies/Cities with a population of 1,829,228
people, density: 32 people/km. The Head of the Agriculture Office continued by
stating that the area's characteristics were divided into Central Maluku,
consisting of Ambon, West Seram, East Seram, South Buru, Banda Sea, Southwest,
Southeast Maluku (Tual City, Aru Islands), and West Southeast Maluku [21]. In connection with food security in Maluku
province, the issue of Maluku food, among others, is that it still requires
food supply outside the areas classified as food deficit areas). Subsequently,
there was a change in the pattern of consumption of food sources of
carbohydrates to rice, and this was because it was practical in processing and
easy to obtain, and could be stored for a long time and was prestigious besides
being available at any time and place. This change in food consumption patterns
resulted in a change that resulted in 53% of monthly household expenditure on
rice, so that 27.3% of the causes of poverty from the food group were rice.
With the ratio of cities: 27.65%, Village; 27.25%. Based on
the data above, in the post-Covid-19 pandemic, the agricultural sector takes
place in the short and long term because it can accumulate with other
influences such as climate change, including the production of food insecurity
commodities, inflation as well as the supply chain for marketing of products
and purchasing power of farmers [22]. Therefore, the plan to increase food
security in the agricultural sector in the Maluku province is carried out by
the Head of the Agriculture Office of Maluku province. Namely by First,
increasing the production capacity of strategic food commodities, which
consists of; accelerated planting of strategic food commodities, namely 700 Ha
of lowland rice, 450 Ha of Biofortified rice, 450 Ha of Biofortified rice, 1500
Ha of field rice, 10,000 Ha of corn, 30 Ha of shallot and 165 Ha of chilli.
Furthermore, the distribution of pre-harvest and post-harvest facilities and
climate modification of vegetable crop screens. Second, the development and
utilization of local food, which is divided as well, encourages related
agencies to move the planting and utilization of local food as well as the
development of local food sources of carbohydrates substituting for rice,
cassava (10 Ha), taro (8 Ha), Sago (50 Ha) and animal food development
(ungags-Ruminausia). Third, Human Resource Development, namely Cyber Extension
to farmers in the BPP area. By disseminating the impact of Covid-19,
Demonstration Forming, communication media (cultivation and marketing). Fourth,
increasing farmers' income through labour-intensive activities, namely
rehabilitation of tertiary networks of 1200 hectares and rehabilitation of
patterns of 200 hectares. The local wisdom of indigenous peoples in Maluku in
realizing food sovereignty is reflected in interventions to increase food
availability in the post-Covid-19 pandemic era. Through
measures to overcome food insecure areas in Maluku province, an effort to
address food vulnerability was carried out using food availability, food
affordability and food utilization. This food insecurity and an investigation
was carried out consisting of chronic prone interventions which included
looking at how is the problem of food availability by assessing the
insufficient capacity of the population's consumption demand, which is divided
into how to increase production capacity [23]. Then also diversification of food
consumption, then intervention by looking at access to food, limited purchasing
power due to poverty. It correlates with employment opportunities and easier
access to food and social safety nets for poor households. The problem of
infrastructure, limited access to clean water, and electricity is related to
the construction of basic infrastructure (clean water, electricity). The last
one is health and nutrition problems. It is related to the high stunting of
children under five and the unequal distribution of health workers; this is done
by providing counselling on nutrition and child care, food consumption for B2
SA, environmental sanitation facilities, and health workers' provision [24]. From the efforts
to address food vulnerability carried out by the Food Security Service in
Maluku province nationally by improving the national logistics system, this
takes a relatively long time. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture should
encourage people in areas that are vulnerable to food insecurity to provide
their food. A variety of nutritionally balanced man funds through activities.
Sub-district-based family farming/family farming (farmer family) by assisting
in land and yard use was also shown in the youth group with the assistance
provided, namely the nursery so that education and technology trials could be
carried out, namely agricultural education in schools [25]. It is done by selecting locations in areas
that are vulnerable to food insecurity. Furthermore, agricultural, fishery and
aquaculture cultivation activities are carried out, and animal husbandry and
strategic marketing. According
to the author, it is time for the paradigm of national food security in the
post-Covid-19 pandemic to shift to traditional sasi following each region's
natural conditions, especially in the Maluku province pandemic. It is based on
local food that has been handed down by God "Gift" for free. . to
every customary person/community in Maluku province based on the districts and
sub-districts in Maluku province. Those who live in various districts and
sub-districts survive with a variety of local food sources, namely by giving
birth to a new paradigm (The New Paradigm). The local-based food security
paradigm is put forward for the indigenous Maluku community, namely Sago, by
carrying out the sago planting movement by encouraging the commitment of the
local government and involving youth and equality of gander to become farmers
by being provided with counselling on the theme of Sago self-sufficiency
supported by the provision of vocational education, training, mentoring and
implementation of technology[26]. Likewise, strengthening access of farmer
families to capital, production facilities, and farm insurance with the development of diverse food
cultivation, processing, and marketing of agricultural products to sustain
farming and maintain biodiversity. A budget must support it, policies, imports,
and preferably following the natural conditions of Maluku province both in the
districts and sub-districts where the community is located, besides that the strategy
and policies for Sago in Maluku province are made, namely the sago culture
strategy as a local food belonging to the Maluku tribe. Therefore, it is also
necessary to develop food barns for indigenous peoples of Maluku, which are
carried out by building activities and filling food barns for customary law
communities, with implementation support, namely empowering guidance and
collecting as well as technical guidance for community food barn management
with funding sources from the state budget, provincial budget.
Regencies/cities, non-governmental customary law communities, and other
non-binding sources. All of this increased food availability and affordability
in areas in the Maluku province in the post-Covid-19 pandemic. With
sufficient food, this is the right of every human being. It means that every
person and every customary law community in every district and sub-district in
Maluku province has the right not to be hungry and have access to adequate,
nutritious food and human funds for their health[27]. Therefore, food security is access to
adequate morning baby for everyone at any time to obtain a healthy body and an
active life. Furthermore, this must be supported by applying dryland technology
to support sustainable food self-sufficiency for indigenous peoples in small
islands in Maluku province in the post-Covid-19 pandemic. Geographically,
Maluku province has a land area, 829,727 Ha of dry land, which is bigger than
the wetland area of only 24,422 Ha. 8 It is further in reality that the rice
field printing program is more significant than the dry land printing program.
Due to the decline in national food production, which is being felt at this
time by the narrower area of productive agricultural land. To increase the
potential for crop production, one of the alternative options expected to meet
food needs is the utilization of dry land. A strategy is needed to increase
dryland production, printing dry land, not just paddy fields[28]. It is intended that dryland farming is
needed explicitly for indigenous peoples, namely Maluku farming communities,
because this follows the local agroecology and socio-culture, of course, and is
supported by the Indigenous Knowledge and the local wisdom of indigenous
peoples in Maluku province. With dryland farming land now or as little as
possible, and as much as possible. It depends on the climate, which will
ultimately produce the results of the farming. Likewise, a strong commitment
from the central and local governments is also needed. It can be done in
stages, with careful planning and then a careful calculation of inputs and outputs
for the short, medium and long term. It is the form of partisanship of the
government towards farmers, especially within the customer community's scope to
traditional sago farmers in Maluku. It is in
line with environmental management, an integrated systematic effort to preserve
environmental functions and prevent environmental pollution or damage,
including planning, utilization, control, maintenance, supervision, and law
enforcement. From this, it turns out that the problem of environmental
management on the island of Ambon (Maluku) after the Covid-19 pandemic turns
out that environmental management and traditional wisdom of sasi are natural
and environmental sources [29]. Therefore, it is necessary to have an
environmental management effort and an effort to utilize the environment that
cannot be separated from environmental permits and environmental risk analysis
and overcome environmental pollution and environmental functions. It means that
sasi is a restoration of environmental functions and the maintenance and
supervision of law enforcement following the law regulating traditional wisdom.
Furthermore, environmental sustainability is guaranteed by the welfare of the
community and the preservation of natural resources. Furthermore, in taking
forest products, Sago, cutting one sago tree, and cutting the tree are required
to replace it by planting ten sago palms. Thus, environmental management and
traditional wisdom of sasi on the island of Ambon (Maluku) after the Covid-19
pandemic in managing natural resources, the central government must also pay
attention to the food needs of indigenous people living on the island of Ambon
(Maluku) with policies on managing and managing natural resources with
traditional wisdom on the island of Ambon (Maluku). 4. CONCLUSIONBased on the above discussion, it can be concluded that traditional Sasi wisdom has values and norms to protect forests, water sources, annual plants (Sago, etc.) and food plants. With the concept and understanding of how environmental managers with various customary rules to obtain benefits and maintain the kinship value of area units that already have an identity and must continuously be maintained in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, food security for indigenous peoples on the island of Ambon (Maluku) during the Covid-19 pandemic, namely by building food security by encouraging a new paradigm based on local food with directions and policies for developing food security and absorption of dryland technology to support sustainable food self-sufficiency through sources. Local food, namely Sago and tubers, which are the saviours of community nutrition during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the community can stay alive by sustainably managing natural resources. SOURCES OF FUNDINGThis research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. CONFLICT OF INTERESTThe author have declared that no competing interests exist. ACKNOWLEDGMENTNone. REFERENCES [14] Tehupeiory, A. (2020). Ulayat
Right is recognized in the 1945 Constitution. Inakoran.com.
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