Indonesia Seizes Land Larger Than Switzerland in Resource Crackdown

A sweeping campaign to seize control of Indonesia's natural resources has placed an area larger than Switzerland under state management. Overseen by Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, the operation began in March with the takeover of palm oil estates from a tycoon linked to corruption. The nine-month drive is publicly framed as an effort to improve governance. Analysts see it as a show of force by Prabowo, a former general and the current president. He has long criticized both Indonesian elites and foreign interests for profiting from the nation's resources. Officials describe the massive land seizures as "just the beginning." The campaign signals a major shift in control over valuable assets like palm oil, mining, and forestry concessions. Prabowo, who took office in October, has regularly vowed to ensure that Indonesia's wealth benefits its people more directly. This ongoing resource crackdown is his first major policy move to that end.