Resettlement Action Plan

A Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) — known in Indonesia as LARAP — is a planning document prepared to manage the social impacts of land acquisition, land-use restrictions, or population displacement caused by a project, aiming to ensure that affected people receive adequate compensation and assistance so their living conditions and livelihoods are restored, or even improved, compared to before the project. A RAP is required when a project causes physical displacement (loss of housing or residential land), economic displacement (loss of land, business, or livelihood access), or restricted access to resources; internationally it follows standards such as World Bank ESS5, IFC Performance Standard 5, and ADB safeguard policies, while in Indonesia it is grounded in Law No. 2 of 2012 and Presidential Regulation No. 71 of 2012; for internationally financed projects, a gap analysis is typically conducted, and whichever provisions offer stronger protection to affected people are applied.

In terms of content, a RAP covers the project description, legal framework, census and socio-economic survey results, eligibility criteria and cut-off date, an entitlement matrix, asset valuation based on replacement cost, livelihood restoration programs, a grievance redress mechanism, institutional arrangements, implementation schedule, budget, and monitoring and evaluation; the preparation process moves from screening, mapping, census-taking, public consultation, drafting and disclosure, finalization, through to implementation and ongoing monitoring — guided by principles of avoiding forced eviction, protecting vulnerable groups, and ensuring meaningful participation of affected people — though in practice it often faces challenges such as regulatory gaps, difficulty registering informal occupants, disputes over asset valuation, and the long-term sustainability of post-relocation livelihood programs.