In early June 2025, the Center for the Study of Law and Social Justice at the Faculty of Law, Gadjah Mada University (LSJ FH UGM) launched the inaugural issue of the Law and Social Justice (LSJ) Research Series. This first edition explores the theme “The Legal Politics of Special Treatment for National Strategic Projects: A Map and Analysis of Their Social Injustice.”
This publication is part of LSJ FH UGM’s efforts to present critical, research-based analyses of the relationship between law, power, and social justice, using a socio-legal approach. The primary focus of this research is to examine the National Strategic Projects (PSN) policy, which the government has implemented since 2016 with the stated aim of accelerating growth and equitable development.
The research findings indicate that the concept of “strategic” within the PSN is often used to legitimize the implementation of policies that are anti-democratic, lack public participation, and tend to be repressive. The absence of effective grievance mechanisms for affected communities reveals how the PSN prioritizes project acceleration over the protection of citizens’ basic rights.
This research also found instances of abusive legalism—the arbitrary use of the law to justify development policies. As a result, rather than bringing about prosperity, the PSN has instead led to social injustice, agrarian conflicts, and human rights violations.
To illustrate the concrete dimensions of the issue, LSJ FH UGM highlights three case studies: the Bener Dam in Wadas Village (Central Java), Rempang Eco-City (Rempang Island, Riau Islands), and the Wae Sano Geothermal Project (East Nusa Tenggara). All three cases exhibit similar patterns: disregard for community participation, a one-sided interpretation of the “public interest,” environmental damage, and the use of state apparatus to suppress residents’ resistance.
Through this inaugural publication, LSJ FH UGM emphasizes the importance of reexamining the development paradigm that has long sidelined aspects of democracy, participation, and justice. Development, regardless of its form or strategic scale, should be grounded in the constitutional mandate and the core values of Pancasila, particularly the fifth principle: Social Justice for All Indonesian People.
The launch of this inaugural publication also aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, which emphasizes the importance of inclusive and equitable development. The research conducted by LSJ FH UGM contributes to SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions by highlighting repressive legal practices and the lack of mechanisms for public participation in strategic projects. Furthermore, this publication supports SDG 10: Reducing Inequalities through advocacy for fairer policies for groups affected by development.
An analysis of the impacts of environmental damage and agrarian conflicts is closely linked to SDG 15: Terrestrial Ecosystems, SDG 13: Climate Action, and SDG 14: Life Below Water, as strategic projects often lead to ecosystem degradation, increased risks of climate-related disasters, and pollution of coastal and marine areas.
Thus, this publication by the LSJ FH UGM not only makes an academic contribution but also represents a concrete effort to achieve sustainable development that respects human rights, preserves environmental balance, and upholds social justice.
Author: Muhammad Yahya Widiana (Center for Legal Studies and Social Justice)
