Rempang Eco-City in the UNGPs Principles: Protect, Respect, and Remedy

Abstract

The Rempang Eco-City Project is a national strategic project aimed at increasing investment and economic growth in the Batam region. However, its implementation has generated conflicts between development interests and the protection of the rights of communities affected by relocation. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the Rempang Eco-City Project based on the Project, Respect, and Remedy principles of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The research employs a normative legal research method using statutory, conceptual, and literature-based approaches. Data sources consist of legislation, legal literature, academic journals, and international legal instruments related to business and human rights. The findings indicate that the government and BP Batam legally possess authority over land management through Land Management Rights (Hak Pengelolaan Lahan), providing a lawful basis for the project and investment permits. Nevertheless, the project raises concerns regarding the protection of community rights, particularly in terms of participation, socio-economic sustainability, and the effectiveness of relocation mechanisms. The Protect principle is reflected in the state's obligation to safeguard affected communities, the Respect principle is demonstrated through the provision of relocation and compensation, and the Remedy principle is implemented through the provision of new housing and land ownership certificates. Although efforts have been made to fulfill these three principles, their implementation still requires a more participatory, humane, and socially responsive approach that also considers the cultural recovery of affected communities. Therefore, the success of development projects should not only be measured by legal compliance and investment outcomes but also by the ability of the state and business actors to ensure fair and sustainable human rights protection.