Which Way Forward

CHAPTER THREE

Responsibility,Accountability, andNational Unity in VillageGovernance

Chris P. A. Bennett

One institution has remained on the periphery of policy dialogue about decentralization to the regency level—the village. Proper integration of village governance into the wider system of decentralized governance may, however, offer the last hope for sustainable management of Indonesia's natural resources. More important still, it could be the most effective way to ensure responsible regency governance while strengthening the sense of national unity and tempering opportunistic calls for regional independence. Villages, however, are still typically perceived by national and regency governments as potential liabilities rather than unique social ...