Securitized by design: Indonesia military involvement in food estate program in Papua 2020-2024

Faisol, Wildan and Viartasiwi, Nino and Herdiawanto, Heri (2025) Securitized by design: Indonesia military involvement in food estate program in Papua 2020-2024. Discussion Paper. Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik UAI, Jakarta. (Submitted)

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Abstract

This article analyzes the underlying factors that led the Indonesian government under President Joko Widodo to designate the Ministry of Defense and the Military (TNI) as the lead authority for the Food Estate program in Papua between 2020 and 2024. This policy choice, particularly in the pilot project location of Merauke, is viewed as a significant phenomenon of remilitarization that threatens Indonesia's democratic quality. Employing the framework of Historical Institutionalism and the concept of Path Dependence, the research argues that the military's current involvement is not a spontaneous event but a consequence of unreformed institutional legacies from the authoritarian New Order era. The analysis concludes that the reliance on the military to implement the Food Estate in Merauke a strategically sensitive area due to its border location with Papua New Guinea deepens military participation in civilian sectors, increases the risk of massive Human Rights violations, and reinforces a destructive path dependence that actively undermines democratic control.

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