The Role of Customary Leaders in Supporting the Duties of Bhabinkamtibmas in Resolving Legal Conflicts in Southwest Papua

Authors

  • Saed Bil Aswar Husaeni Institut Agama Islam Negeri Sorong
  • Surahman Amin Institut Agama Islam negeri Sorong
  • Syahrul Institut Agama Islam negeri Sorong
  • Udin Latif Institut Agama Islam negeri Sorong
  • Hujriman Institut Agama Islam negeri Sorong

Keywords:

Legal Pluralism, Community Policing, Customary Leaders, Hybrid Governance, Negotiated Legitimacy

Abstract

This study examines the role of customary leaders in supporting Bhabinkamtibmas (community police officers) in resolving village-level conflicts in Southwest Papua, Indonesia. Employing a qualitative socio-legal approach, the study draws on in-depth interviews with customary leaders, local government officials, and migrant community members in Sorong Regency and Sorong City. Guided by legal pluralism, hybrid governance, and community policing perspectives, the findings reveal that conflict resolution operates through a hybrid legal order in which customary and state institutions interact through cooperation, mutual recognition, and negotiated authority rather than hierarchical substitution. Customary leaders function as primary actors in restorative dispute resolution, deriving legitimacy from community trust, kinship networks, and communal consensus, while Bhabinkamtibmas strengthen procedural legitimacy and facilitate coordination between customary and formal institutions. The study advances the concept of negotiated legitimacy to explain how customary and state actors continuously construct authority, accountability, and social acceptance within legally plural governance systems. The findings demonstrate that effective community policing in indigenous societies depends on collaboration with locally legitimate institutions and that sustainable conflict resolution emerges through culturally responsive governance arrangements that reconcile customary authority with procedural accountability

References

Agustus, F S, D Andoko, M Muniasari, C M Savitri, P S Nurisnaeny, dan H B Maya. “Strengthening the Papua Steering Committee strategy: Reducing instability for accelerated development in Papua, Indonesia.” Social Sciences and Humanities Open 11 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101413.

Ansar, Lukman, dan Sabar Podu. “A l-Adalah : Jurnal Hukum dan Politik Islam Reconstruction of the Authority of the Papuan People ’ s Assembly Based on the Principles of Siyasah Syar ’ iyyah : A Study of the Function of Cultural Representation.” Al adalah: Jurnal Hukum dan Politik Islam 11, no. 1 (2026): 229–41. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.30863/ajmpi.v11i1.10900.

Benda-Beckmann, Franz von. “Who’s Afraid of Legal Pluralism?” The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law 34, no. 47 (1 Januari 2002): 37–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/07329113.2002.10756563.

Berman, Paul Schiff. “Sally Engle Merry and Global Legal Pluralism.” Law & Society Review 54, no. 4 (10 Juni 2020): 839–45. https://www-jstor-org.proxy.undip.ac.id/stable/48642092.

Boege, Volker, M Anne Brown, dan Kevin P Clements. “Hybrid Political Orders, Not Fragile States.” Peace Review 21, no. 1 (1 Maret 2009): 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/10402650802689997.

Brown, M Anne, Kevin P Clements, dan Anna Nolan. “States Emerging from Hybrid Political Orders – Pacific Experiences.” ACPACS Occasional Papers Series, no. 11 (2008).

Creswell, John W. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mix-methods Approaches. Third Edit. Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore: SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd., 2009.

Disantara, Fradhana Putra. “Konsep Pluralisme Hukum Khas Indonesia sebagai Strategi Menghadapi Era Modernisasi Hukum.” Al-Adalah: Jurnal Hukum dan Politik Islam 6, no. 1 (14 Juni 2021): 1–36. https://doi.org/10.35673/ajmpi.v6i1.1129.

Giessen, M van der, E Brein, dan G Jacobs. “Community policing: The relevance of social contexts.” In Advanced Sciences and Technologies for Security Applications, 35–50, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53396-4_4.

Griffiths, John. “What is Legal Pluralism?” The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law 18, no. 24 (1 Januari 1986): 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/07329113.1986.10756387.

“INDIGENOUS JUSTICE SYSTEM : A KNOWLEDGE SHARING SYMPOSIUM.” Vol. 2024, 2024.

Indonesia, Kepolisian Republik. Peraturan Kepala Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia nomor 7 Tahun 2021 Tentang Bhayangkara Pembina Keamanan dan Ketertiban Masyarakat (2021).

Jauhari, I. “Resolving Land Disputes Through Land Offices and Customary Institutions: Perspectives from National and Customary Law in Aceh.” El-Usrah 8, no. 1 (2025): 366–88. https://doi.org/10.22373/tqcdmt70.

Jeki, Febrian, Elfian Sinaga, Sairimbun Panjaitan, dan Lana Hafiza. “Revitalisasi Hukum Adat dalam Penyelesaian Sengketa Lingkungan Studi Komparatif di Wilayah Adat Indonesia Timur.” JAKSA Jurnal kajian Ilmu Hukum dan Politik 3, no. 2 (2025): 63–75. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.51903/7qjydj65.

Jordan, W T, dan J M Hawron. “Community Policing.” In The Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment, 1–4, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118519639.wbecpx106.

Kappeler, V E, dan L K Gaines. Community Policing. Community Policing, 2009. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84882129759&partnerID=40&md5=80729efe3070492a84d440bfb9c67555.

Mahmutovic, A, dan M Alsudais. “LEGAL PLURALISM AND GOVERNANCE: REDEFINING POWER AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD.” Petita: Jurnal Kajian Ilmu Hukum dan Syariah 10, no. 2 (2025): 568–93. https://doi.org/10.22373/petita.v10i2.791.

Mansur, T M, M Muazzin, M A Abdullah, H Ali, M B Usman, dan A Miranti. “MEDIATING TRADITION: THE ROLE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CUSTOMARY LAW DISPUTES.” Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun 13, no. 2 (2025): 1183–1208. https://doi.org/10.26811/peuradeun.v13i2.1921.

Merry, Sally Engle. “Legal Pluralism.” Law & Society Review 22, no. 5 (1988): 869–96. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2307/3053638.

Mulyadi, T, dan T Raharjo. “The Legitimacy of Ondoafi in Conflict Settlement of Customary Land Tenure in Sentani, Papua.” Jurnal Media Hukum 26, no. 1 (2019): 112–21. https://doi.org/10.18196/jmh.20190127.

Pa˘ros¸anu, Andrea, Ashley Seaford, Nan Wehipeihana, dan Aneta Mihinui-Selwyn. “Whakamana Tangata : An evaluation of a restorative Te Ao Ma ¯ ori-based approach in youth justice.” Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work 37, no. 2 (2025): 5–17. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol37iss2id1219.

Rasyid, Yanuriansyah Ar, Leni Sipra, dan Helen Rahakbauw. “Revitalization of Biak Numfor Customary Dispute Resolution : Harmonization of the Criminal Justice System in Indonesia.” Jurnal Ilmu Hukum Kyadiren 7, no. 2 (2026): 832–42. https://doi.org/10.46924/jihk.v7i2.335.

Sakmaf, M S, I.G.A.K.R. Handayani, M E Sumiarni, Z B Paidi, dan F Wamafma. “SPECIAL AUTONOMY AND PROTECTION OF CUSTOMARY LAND RIGHTS IN WEST PAPUA: PROMISE OR ILLUSION?” Petita: Jurnal Kajian Ilmu Hukum dan Syariah 11, no. 1 (2026): 479–501. https://doi.org/10.22373/petita.v11i1.1000.

Scott, J D. “Community Policing.” In The Encyclopedia of Theoretical Criminology, 1–3, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118517390.wbetc214.

Singh, M, dan M Yadav. “Building Trust and Fostering Collaborations Through Community Policing: Insights from India and the Global Perspective.” In Rethinking the Police for a Better Future : Navigating Policing Challenges with Accountability and Trust, 103–30, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-83173-7_7.

Suhariyanto, B, L Mulyadi, F Afandi, dan S R P Sri Gilang Muhammad. “Reconstruction of Intersection the Customary Court and State Criminal Court for Indigenous Communities in Papua.” Journal of Indonesian Legal Studies 9, no. 2 (2024): 1107–36. https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v9i2.19155.

Suprianto, B. “The Use of Ritual in Mediating Customary Land Disputes by the Dayak Kantuk Community in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.” In Religion, Decolonization, and the Planetary Community: Voices from the Indonesian Archipelago, 273–81, 2025. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003527398-21.

Sutanti, R D, N Rochaeti, dan A R Damora. “Customary law as an instrument of restorative justice: an alternative approach to criminal conflict resolution in plural legal systems.” Clio. Revista de Historia, Ciencias Humanas y Pensamiento Critico. 5, no. 10 (2025): 1348–81. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15453907.

Syafei, E S, I Habuddin, dan M Saputra. “MEDIATION IN SOCIAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION AT TANJUNGPINANG MALAY CUSTOMARY INSTITUTION, RIAU ISLANDS.” Al-Risalah: Forum Kajian Hukum dan Sosial Kemasyarakatan 23, no. 2 (2023): 198–214. https://doi.org/10.30631/alrisalah.v23i2.1361.

Tambaip, B, A P Tjilen, P Riyanto, dan Y Ohoiwutun. “ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN RESPONDING TO SPECIAL AUTONOMY POLICY IN THE EMERGING MARKET: GOVERNANCE AND REGULATORY CHALLENGES IN A CONFLICT-PRONE REGION.” Journal of Governance and Regulation 15, no. 1 (2026): 8–19. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv15i1art1.

Williams, D. “Restorative Practice: Background and Framework.” In Restorative Justice and Practice in US Education, 11–31, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68412-8_2.

Wood, W R, M Suzuki, dan J Tauri. “Restorative Justice in Australia and New Zealand: A Faustian Bargain with the State?” In Restorative Justice at a Crossroads: Dilemmas of Institutionalisation, 11–39, 2024. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003320647-2.

Zehr, Howard. The little book of restorative justice. Good Books, 2002.

Published

2026-06-12

How to Cite

Bil Aswar Husaeni, S., Amin, S., Syahrul, Latif, U., & Hujriman. (2026). The Role of Customary Leaders in Supporting the Duties of Bhabinkamtibmas in Resolving Legal Conflicts in Southwest Papua. Al-Adalah: Jurnal Hukum Dan Politik Islam, 11(2), 347–365. Retrieved from http://jurnal.iain-bone.ac.id/index.php/aladalah/article/view/11546

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 2 (2026)

Section

Artikel

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Saed Bil Aswar Husaeni, Surahman Amin, Syahrul, Udin Latif, Hujriman

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with Al-Adalah: Jurnal Hukum dan Politik Islam agree to the following terms:

  1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. 

  2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.

  3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.