Land Readjustment After Earthquake and Tsunami

A devastating earthquake and tsunami has destroyed some region in Indonesia. In December 26^th, 2004 big earthquake and tsunami have strike Aceh and Nias. Once and a half year later, big earthquake has strike Yogyakarta and Central Java. Then, recently, earthquake and tsunami strike again in Pangandaran beach. Hundred and thousand victims were died and many families have lost their members. Despite of lost their members, many families also lost their properties. The problem became quit complex when they realized that their land boundaries became absurd. This is one of the problems in land reconstruction in spite of the changing of coastal line.

Special cases like Aceh, Nias and Yogyakarta, there were special action to overcome these problems. First of all, to arrange back the land, there should be land reconstruction and boundaries reconstruction. Furthermore, related with land reconstruction, special purpose to be considered is how to create new land arrangement has more economic value. Common form of land blocks in Indonesia are irregular. For example, the shape of land parcel is irregular also, there is lack of accesses (street or road) and there is lack of public facilities (park, garden, sport arena) for people recreation, crowded, lack of open space, has low value of NJOP (Nilai Jual Objek Pajak). These conditions caused low economic value in every land parcel.

In the term of land reconstruction, thing to be considered is land readjustment. So, what is land readjustment ? According to Arvanitis and Balla (2005) land readjustment is a legal instrument which has been instituted for the adjustment of plot boundaries in urban or suburban areas, aiming at the better of some specific area and functioning in larger or small scale. Basically, land readjustment is arranging back land blocks to fit with land use planning. So, the purpose of land readjustment is increasing economic value in every land parcels by adding the accesses and public facilities.

The question is how we can add the accesses and public facilities if the area of land block is limited ? to be participant in land readjustment, land owners do not need to pay anything. Every land owner in one land block gives their little piece of land to construct the accesses and public facilities. In practice, this concept could make a controversy, because land owners think that they will receive back their land (after land readjustment) smaller than before land readjustment or will remove their land from original position or they will receive back their land is divided into a number of land parcel.

Yes, this opinion will bring an assumption that land readjustment will affect disadvantages to the land owners. Actually, this opinion is not truly correct. Let we see in the specific term, on one hand, of course the land owners will receive back their land smaller than before land readjustment. On the other hand, the result of land readjustment will bring many advantages, of course in land economic value. In addition, the availability of public facilities, accesses, good drainage, and open space will increase the value in social and environmental interaction.

Japan, one of the countries which have successfully implemented land readjustment, could be the example for Indonesia. Starting in 1920 until 1954, Japan has successfully finished 10,878 land readjustment projects (Djojomartono, 2006). After the big earthquake in Kanto 1923 which destroyed a half of Tokyo and World War II which destroyed Nagoya, Japan intensively implemented land readjustment (Ibid, 2006). As a result, the tremendous development of economic in Japan has brought the opinion that land readjustment could give serious advantages in economic impact (Ibid, 2006).

So, what is the key success in Japan for implementing land readjustment ? people participation is the answer. The land owners realized that land readjustment would change old perspective of the land into the new one that their land should be suitable for their live and increase land economic value. In early 1980, land readjustment was the hot issue in Indonesia. Unfortunately, lack participation of people was the main obstacle of this program (Ibid, 2006). But in some provinces, land readjustment has successfully implemented. Bali is one of the provinces which successfully implemented land readjustment.

It seems that land readjustment after earthquake and tsunami against humanity, because people who have suffered from natural disasters should sacrifice their land. In contrast, it will more against humanity if we just let the people construct their land without direction, then they can not develop their economic activities, because they live in the bad condition and bad environment. Due to the destruction after earthquake and tsunami, land readjustment could be a solution in order to create a good land use planning. However, again, people participation and good support from government agency are essential for running this program as well.

Community Driven Adjudication, often referred to as “community land mapping” (Winoto, 2005) that have been conducted by National Land Agency in some region in Aceh could be run together with land readjustment. However, good socialization and communication between people and government has to do first for guarantee in the term of doing land readjustment successfully.

REFERENCE

Arvanitis, A. and Balla, E (2005) Some Technical, Legal, Financial and Social Issues of Land Readjustment. An Approach of modeling Greek Land Readjustment Procedure , 8^th Workshop and 9^th Final MC Meeting, Modeling Real Property Transactions, 13 – 15 October 2005, Stockholm.

Djojomartono, P. N. (2006) Penataan Kembali Kawasan Permukiman Korban Gempa, Harian Kedaulatan Rakyat, 13 July 2006. Yogyakarta.
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Winoto. J, (2005) Reconstruction of Land Administration System in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam and Nias, FIG EGM, Bangkok.

Try to Think with Australian Way

It is very important to make adaptation with our new neighbourhood if we have just arrived in new country. Australia, ehm...we know that Australia is the one of nation which very proud with their tradition and with all that they have.

Kangaroo, Koala, Sydney Opera House, Anzac, Barbequeu, Surfing, and so on that can be a representative as Australian icon. Positive thing that we can get from these matter is that Australian are very proud of them and usually use them in every activities.

For example, Australian eam in World Cup 2006, are called Socceroos. Socceroos comes from two words, Soccer and Kangaroos. Of course these words do not have relation each other. Just for simbol that Australian is very proud with them.

My beloved country, Indonesia, ehm ehm...It is very difficult to define it, how o make national icon for unity. Every province, every region try to raise up their icon as a national symbol. On the other hand, we do not know that unity ain icon can build international image for our country.

Back to adaptation theme in the very beginning, we are as international students, should have include with Australian tradition...Barbeque, call friend with "mate", Australian slang language, and every interesting that we have found as something new.

In educational system, Australia, as the same with the other western country, they have a good matter for study that very different with Indonesia. We call it critical thinking or critical review. In academic situation, we sit in the same position with the others. No matter that our discussion mates has finished their PhD, already get Professor...

We sit in the same grade, we analyze every subject and we do critical thinking. These proses ae very interesting because I never get it when I was in university. So, for me, as International Student that totally come from different system with Australia, should work more harder to make our grade as the same as Australian. Good job mates...keep struggling...

3rd Day in Syd

Sydney Opera House is the one of Beautiful Lndmarks in the world. This building becomes an icon of Sydney. In the 3rd day in Sydney, I visited this building. That is true that this building is very interesting.

This building is located near the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The view from both is quite interesting. This afternoon, I tried to make some pictures about it. Using Syd theme, I tried to explore the beautifulness of this building.

Lucky me, today is weekend day. So, I can get more about surrounding Sydney Opera House. Live musics, tourism activities, happy people, albatros birds, all of them were integrated in the one situation. Yeah...the situation that makes me miss my wife....

Why ? I think it will be better if my wife can join me to go to Australia. We usually share everything, but now we just enjoy our happines and togetherness without touching and meeting each other. Sad...isn't it ?

Welcome to OZ !!!

Thursday, June 15th was my first day in Australia. Arrived in Syd international airport, looked arround the airport, it is quit nice airport and helpfull employees. First step to leave out the airport, I had to pass from screening machine and screening guard. I declared all my lugages and medicine. The guards were very helpull and friendly because I was telling the truth about all medicines that I brought.

In the outside of airport, some Indonesian students were waiting for us. Then they guided us to the UNSW. First time I saw UNSW in the real matter, thanks God that finally I will be a student in UNSW. My dream university since I was undergraduate in UGM.

Having meeting with International Officer in UNSW was the next activity. They were all very nice and friendly. But something that was amazed me, you know what ? their language (English of course) are very cool...Thats way I will learn more and more here about everything.

Auastralia, people give a nickname to Australia with OZ. It is kind like a dumb name in America. Isn't it ? but the most important thing that I can see western culture. You know what is the most interesting thing in western culture ? Although they think that freedom is everything, they still respect to each other, help each other. May be this is subjective point of view, but you have to come here to proof it and feel how nice is Ausralia.

The Effect of Earthquake in Jogja and Klaten

This picture was taken when I was on the way to Jakarta from Solo. I made this picture on the running train. This is a little vision of destruction that has been caused by earthquake.

Jogja Earthquake

This morning, I just arrived from Jogja. My head is still full with headache and people screaming....

Saturday morning, I and my wife were in 2nd floor to make some Merapi pictures. Suddenly, I felt that someone / something was shaking the house. Then I felt big headache. We didn't know what exacly happened at that momment. I just realized that big earthquake was happen at 5.53 am.

We step down quickly and then I saw many people screaming, many children were crying. Everybody thought that Merapi erupted. But I think this earthquake was not volcanic, it was tectonic (based on my experience and teory when I was in university) The situation was very crowded at that time. No electricity, no communication (signal was full but there were traffic signal)

I and my family just sit down on the ground and couldn't do anything. We were still afraid if another earthquake would happen.

I tried to find some information by using "ORARI" and I found that it was tectonic earthquake that happened.

After this, I was very busy to tell to everyone that Tsunami wouldn't be happen because more than 20 minutes after earthquake there was no information about mean sea level.

But suddenly, some bad people yeld that tsunami happened and the water was very big. They told that a half of Jogja City was drowning. People were panic again, they tried to go far away from their house. All Jogja people were panic.

I tried to stay calm about these news. I thought that these news just rubbish an hoaxx...but all my family were panic also. I just told to my family. It was better if we stay at home because we had 2nd floor. And It would take high risk if we follow some people to go out because it will be a huge amount of traffic jam and people couldn't go everywhere.

We just stay at home for 2 - 3 hours, after this I tried to look around Jogja. I saw a lot of hopeless people. They just looked their houses those have been destroyed by earthquake. The hospitals were very busy and overload. The doctors treated patients with unstandard equipment....

Poor Jogja, my lovely city. I just wanted to stay any longer in Jogja. But my wife told me that she was very afraid with the earthquake. Then we decided went back to Jakarta last night. That was the end of my holiday in Jogja...not satisfy but I found a great experiences and all of my family and my house were save.

True Battle Before World Cup

This picture is taken from www.detik.com This is the symbol of European Football Club Championship. Champions League has a long history in European football world. There is something that can not be changed about this cup. Proudly and Joyness.

This Wednesday night, two European famous football clubs, Barcelona and Arsenal will involve in deadly match in State de France, Paris. These two club represent two pioneer countries (Spain and England) in football and two different attacking styles in football.

Barcelona, La Liga championship (2005-2006), admirer with total football style. This style is commonly known come from Dutch National Team. This style was used by Barcelona's "el technico" as icon in this club. Using this style, Barcelona has won two La Liga titles in recent two years. Barcelona also could defeat its old enemy, Real Madrid, in every La Liga match. These seasons, La Liga and Champions League, Barcelona became a "giant" team. Barcelona has multi talents players and has financial support from a lot of companies. Thats way Barcelona's Management could buy multi talents stars.

On the other hand, Arsenal does not have a good reputation this season. Many people believe that Arsenal caould pass through semifinal phase because they were lucky. Talking about Arsenal's financial, this thing is not quite good also. Arsenal's management just spent a little for buying the players. But in the football style, no one doubt about Arsenal quality. Attacking football as the symbol also in Arsenal image.

So, we will see a great football match in State de Franch at 1.30 am. This game will be the "True Battle" before World Cup. We hope that these two clubs will perform attacking football, and we hope we can enjoy an interesting football game.