Transmigration in Indonesia

Question 1

How many people have transmigrated in Indonesia?

Answer 1

6 million

Question 2

What were the aims and causes of transmigration in Indonesia?

Answer 2

• Reduced population pressure on core island. Inner islands was congested. Shanty towns were developing.
• Encourage more evenly distributed population. There were 17,000 islands but only 9,000 were inhabited. 60% lived in 7% of the area (Jakarta City).
• Develop outer islands with infrastructure and services.
• Supply new workforce.
• Give people from inner islands a better life. People in inner islands relied on subsistence agriculture.

Question 3

What were the incentives?

Answer 3

• $7,600 per family supplied.
• 17 month allowance given.
• Free housing and transport, and 3 hectares of land allocated.
• Supplied equipment and fertilisers + free food to keep family going before harvest.
• $200 million was dedicated to the scheme, 30% of which dedicated to the outer islands.

Question 4

Why was the policy unsuccessful?

Answer 4

• For the migrants:
  
  • 10% of new settlements failed.
  • 20% migrated home.
• For the area:
  
  • Outer islands contain 10% of world’s remaining rainforest. Deforestation [- link].
  • Cultural and religious tension - Muslim Madurese and Christian Dayak had a clash in 2001, called Sampik. Thousands died.
  • New jobs were created but mostly in logging and mining. Unskilled workers drove down wages.
• For Java:
  
  • Population actually increased by 18%.
  • In debt to World Bank - owes $200 million.

Question 5

Why was the policy a success?

Answer 5

• Encouraged spontaneous migration.
• Better for migrants in new areas - better than slums.
• Developed new infrastructure.