Corresponding Author: Maisyarah

INTRODUCTION

In this modern era, the handling of land boundary dispute resolution no longer depends only on the litigation settlement process but can also be done through non-litigation channels; handling land boundary dispute resolution through non-litigation channels requires an effective communication strategy to facilitate dialogue and increase understanding to the parties involved. The right communication strategy can help reduce tensions, increase transparency, and speed up the process of resolving land boundary disputes.

Land plays an important role as a source of welfare, prosperity, and life for everyone. As a result, it is not surprising that in this day and age, everyone will compete to own land. Land is considered a very attractive and profitable investment medium, as its value tends to increase over time. Thus, it is this desire to own Land that triggers land disputes.

Three types of land disputes occur in Indonesia, namely boundary disputes, ownership disputes and inheritance disputes. This research discusses land boundary disputes. Land boundary disputes often occur due to unclear land boundaries, spatial changes, differences in interpretation of ownership documents, and even owners who cannot directly control their Land, as well as other factors.

The institution that has duties and functions in land administration affairs in Indonesia is the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency. Based on Article 4 of Presidential Regulation No. 47/2020 on the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning, the institution has the task of managing government affairs in the field of agrarian/Land and spatial planning to assist the President in carrying out government affairs. Therefore, the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency was established to provide legal certainty in the implementation of land policies. Thus, handling and resolving land cases is part of the main tasks and functions of the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency.

The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency issues Land Certificates as a product in managing land administration. (Nugraha et al., 2022) mentions that a land certificate is an official letter owned by a landowner related to the ownership of his land rights. Article 17 paragraph (3) of Government Regulation No. 24 of 1997 concerning Land Registration emphasizes that every individual or legal entity that owns a land certificate is obliged to protect its Land by installing land stakes/land boundary signs. This is done to prevent disputes or disputes related to land boundaries among landowners (Yunia, 2022).

Land rights holders, especially individuals, are often negligent in the placement and maintenance of land boundary stakes/marks. The absence of land boundary stakes/marks can lead to misunderstanding and ignorance and even encourage fraudulent behavior from neighboring boundary parties. This factor is the leading cause of land boundary disputes. Resolving land boundary disputes, therefore, requires a careful approach and an effective communication strategy between the parties involved. The ultimate goal is to reach an agreement that is acceptable to all affected parties so that the agreement reached can be accepted as a sustainable agreement.

The vertical institution located in the district/city of the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency is the Land Office. As part of the administrative hierarchy in the region, the Land Office has direct responsibility to the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency through the Head of the Regional Office of the National Land Agency. In addition to carrying out administrative tasks, the Land Office also has the authority to handle and resolve land disputes if it receives complaints or reports related to these issues at the district/city level.

By 2024, Aceh Province will have twenty-three (23) Land Offices spread across districts/cities, including the Lhokseumawe City Land Office. The Lhokseumawe City Land Office, through the Dispute Control and Handling Section, was awarded a Charter of Appreciation by the Regional Office of the National Land Agency of Aceh Province as the Land Office with the Fastest Settlement of Land Disputes and Justisia Data Input in 2021. In 2022, it again received appreciation for its contribution to Handling the Fastest Dispute Resolution Operation Target. In 2023, through a post on the @kantahkotalhokseumawe2 Instagram account, the Lhokseumawe City Land Office Dispute Control and Handling Section again received a certificate of appreciation as the Land Office with the Most Satisfactory Handling of Land Disputes.

The Lhokseumawe City Land Office has handled 16 land disputes from 2021 to 2023. Of these, 9 cases are not included in the authority of the Lhokseumawe City Land Office. This is because the dispute-handling process did not reach an agreement. One of the land boundary disputes successfully handled by the Lhokseumawe City Land Office in 2022, which is handled explicitly by the Land Dispute Control and Handling Section, is a case of land boundary dispute, namely an overlapping certificate of ownership. The problem was triggered by the owner of the certificate, who did not occupy the Land (outside the area) and did not put up boundary markers so that other people could cultivate the Land. Another certificate was issued in the name of the cultivator. The handling of this case ended in an amicable agreement through a compensation mechanism. (Source: Annual Report on Land Dispute Cases of Lhokseumawe City Land Office, 2024).

Every Land Office uses the Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency Number 21 of 2020 on Handling and Settlement of Land Cases as a guideline for handling land disputes. However, repeated awards to the Lhokseumawe City Land Office, especially to the Dispute Control and Handling Section, for three consecutive years show that employees in the section have strategies that other Land Offices should emulate in resolving land disputes.

(Ahmad & A.C., 2020) states that strategy is a structured procedure for implementing a comprehensive and sustainable plan to achieve goals. According to (Dari & Fajri, 2024), strategy is defined as a plan and management aimed at achieving a goal. However, the strategy is more than just a guide that shows the direction to achieve these goals. However, it must also concretely explain how these goals can be realized. This means that a strategy is a plan or steps that are organized in a structured way to explain how to achieve the goals that have been set.

In addition to a strategy, dispute handling also requires good internal coordination among the employees involved. The organization's communication dimension will help ensure that information and decisions can be exchanged efficiently among all parties involved. Such information exchange and decision-making, of course, require a communication process.

Communication is an activity in which humans seek to understand the messages conveyed by one individual (communicator) to another individual (communicant). This is known as a process in which humans seek to understand each other or understand the messages given by a communicator to his interlocutor (communicant) (Oktarina & Abdullah, 2017). (Nurhidayati et al., 2024) stated that the role of communication is vital in all aspects of human life. Humans need communication to interact with the surrounding environment. By communicating, humans can express their messages or desires to various entities, from individuals to society to God.

Other people, audiences, or communicants must well understand the message or intention conveyed. Therefore, communication must be carried out with a clear, proportional, precise, and directed approach. (Suryanto, 2019) mentioning a good intention, if conveyed in the wrong way, will result in misunderstanding. Therefore, the importance of using the right ways and methods in communication must be considered. With the right approach, the message to be conveyed has the potential to be understood, distorted, or even reduced, which can lead to erroneous or controversial interpretations in the recipient of the message. With this in mind, it is essential to understand how officials communicate with each other when dealing with land boundary disputes.

Handling land boundary disputes is a complex task; there is a need for an appropriate strategy so that the resulting settlement solution can benefit all parties involved. The dimension of organizational communication among the employees involved is also crucial to the success of the objectives of the strategy. By ensuring that communication between employees involved in the process of handling land boundary disputes runs effectively and efficiently, the goal of resolving land boundary disputes can be successfully achieved and accepted by all parties involved. Communication will play an essential role in ensuring that all parties involved have the same understanding, which in turn will facilitate the achievement of the initial objectives in handling land boundary disputes.

Kumbara (2023) mentions that communication is important in carrying out a strategy; this is referred to as a communication strategy. Communication strategy is an integral element of communication planning. Communication planning adopts a wide variety of models, which range from simple to complex, and the choice of the appropriate model depends largely on the characteristics or type of work being done.

In addition to a communication strategy, there is also a persuasive communication process in handling land boundary disputes. (Ikhwan, 2023) states that persuasive communication is the ability to convince individuals or groups to act in a certain way or to instill beliefs and values in them by influencing their thoughts and actions through certain techniques.

The persuasive communication process used in dispute handling is expected to help ease tensions and steer the discussion in a peaceful direction. Disputes over land boundaries often occur due to misunderstandings or the need for more information. Through persuasive communication, accurate and complete information is expected to be conveyed in a way that is easy to understand so that all parties have a clear picture of the situation. Therefore, in order to reach a settlement that satisfies all parties, mutual agreement is required. The use of persuasive communication allows the mediator or the parties involved to present their arguments convincingly, making it easier to reach an agreement.

Although there have been many studies on communication strategies, this research is novel because it focuses on communication strategies in handling land boundary disputes. Through this study, researchers analyzed the communication strategies planned by employees in the Dispute Control and Handling Section in handling land boundary disputes using the five-step communication planning model. In addition, researchers also analyze the dimensions of organizational communication in handling land boundary disputes at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office through the communication process that occurs among the employees involved. Researchers will also analyze the use of persuasive techniques in the process of handling land boundary disputes.

METHOD

This study applies a research method with a qualitative approach in the form of a case study. The subject criteria in this study are the Head of the Land Dispute Control and Handling Section at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office, the Lhokseumawe City Land Office Employee who is in the Land Dispute Control and Handling Section at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office who is directly involved in the process of handling land boundary disputes at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office. Employees of the Lhokseumawe City Land Office who are directly involved in the process of handling land boundary disputes at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office. The data collection techniques used in this study are observation and interviews. The data analysis technique used in this study consists of three main stages: summarizing the data (data condensation), visualizing the data (data display), and drawing conclusions or conducting verification (conclusion drawing and verification).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Research Findings through Interviews

Informant I

The first informant in this research is Miftahul Rahmah S.H., M.Kn.; she is the critical informant as well as the primary informant in this research because she is the Acting Head of the Dispute Control and Handling Section and also an employee in the section. He is the person who has comprehensive and conceptual information related to the process of handling land boundary disputes.

He graduated as a Civil Servant at the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning / National Land Agency in 2019, with an initial placement at the West Aceh District Land Office. In 2021, he experienced a transfer to the Lhokseumawe City Land Office. He has been at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office for 3 years and has received a position as Acting Officer because there are no other employees besides him in the section.

Informant II

The second informant in this research is Rijal A.P. He became an informant on the recommendation of Informant 1. He is an employee of the Lhokseumawe Land Office, which is in charge of the Land Infrastructure Section. This section has a vital role in preventing land disputes because it is their work that determines whether a dispute will occur or not. In addition to being a Measuring Officer in the Land Infrastructure section, he is also the Coordinator of the Cadastral Measurement and Mapping Substance Group.

Informant III

The third informant in this research is Muhammad Arif, A.P., who became an informant in this research on the recommendation of Informant 1. He is a Measuring Officer at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office; in his daily life as a Measuring Officer, he often meets various types of people when faced with land dispute issues, especially land boundary disputes. He is a graduate of the National Land College in Yogyakarta. Before becoming a civil servant, he worked as an Assistant Cadastral Surveyor (ASK) at the Banda Aceh City Land Office.

Informant IV

The fourth informant in this research is a triangulation informant, Mr. Akhyar Sirajuddin, S.T., S.H., who graduated in Informatics Engineering from Gunadarma University and graduated in Law from Syiah Kuala University. His career at the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency began as an Analyst for Rights Application and Land Registration. Then now he serves as Head of the Control and Dispute Handling Division at the Regional Office of the National Land Agency of Aceh Province. With this informant, researchers managed to dig up information related to the process of handling land boundary disputes that are carried out in each Land Office.

Informant V

The fifth informant in this research is Mrs. Fitriani, S.H., M.H. She is a Judge as well as a Judge Mediator who is currently assigned to the Lhokseumawe District Court Office, according to the results of interviews with her. She also served at the North Aceh District Court, from which her researchers obtained data related to the mediation process in handling land boundary disputes carried out at the Court and what kind of persuasive communication techniques were used to influence the parties involved to want to make peace.

Table 1. Data of Research Informants (Researcher's Process, 2024)

No.	Name	Profession	Position
1.	Miftahul Rahmah, S.H., M.Kn.	PNS	Acting Head of the Control and Dispute Handling Section at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office.
2.	Rijal, A.P.	PNS	Coordinator in the Cadastral Measurement and Mapping Substance Group at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office.
3.	Muhammad Arif, A.P.	PNS	Measuring Officer at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office.
4.	Akhyar Sirajuddin, S.T., M.H.	PNS	Head of Dispute Control and Handling at the Regional Office of the National Land Agency of Aceh Province.
5.	Fitriani, S.H., M.H.	PNS	Judge at the Lhokseumawe District Court.

Categorization of Research Findings

Communication Strategy in Handling Land Boundary Disputes

The first question asked in the interview process was related to the first focus of this research, namely related to communication strategies; the questions raised were how the flow of complaints and the process of stages in handling land boundary disputes, whether there were separate exceptions. The answer from the Acting Head of the Dispute Control and Handling Section, Miftahul Rahmah, explained that there are no exceptions in the process of handling land boundary disputes because the handling of land disputes has been regulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning / National Land Agency Number 21 of 2020 concerning Handling and Settlement of Land Cases. "Yes, the flow of complaints is that, which is found in the front and on Instagram. As for the stages, we are still in accordance with Permen 21 of 2020; there are no exceptions." (interview with Miftahul Rahmah, April 05, 2024).

The stages in handling land boundary disputes if in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning / National Land Agency Number 21 of 2020 concerning Handling and Settlement of Land Cases. Article 6, paragraph (1) states that Dispute Handling is carried out through several stages, namely:

1. Case Assessment

2. Initial Degree

3. Research

4. Research result exposure

5. Coordination Meeting

6. Final degree

7. Case Resolution.

This is in line with Muhammad Arif's informed statement that a case assessment is carried out first, and the measuring officer will go to the field first to meet with the parties. "Go down first because not everyone can explain the case. How can people explain the cases?" (Interview with Muhammad Arif, April 13, 2024).

After the case study process, the case study process will produce a product in the form of a staff review; after the case study, the initial degree stage will be carried out where the meeting process will be carried out internally by the Lhokseumawe City Land Office, the parties involved are the Head of Office, the Dispute Control and Handling Section, the Land Infrastructure Section, and the Rights Determination and Registration Section, after the internal meeting it will be discussed whether it is necessary to go down to the field again, if not needed, it will be continued with the expose of the research results. In the expose of the research results, the measuring officer who will provide the results of the expose is the measuring officer; this is in line with what was conveyed by informant Rijal, who stated that the measuring officer plays a role in providing data related to measurements. "Post fieldwork means that after going to the field, we have collected data in the field. We present it in the form of a map, ....." (Interview with Rijal, April 05, 2024).

�After exposing the research results, the next stage is the Coordination Meeting. This coordination meeting is the key to the communication strategy used by the Dispute Control and Handling Section in handling dispute issues, where at this stage, each party involved in the land boundary dispute will be called separately to ask what they want. Miftahul Rahmah conveyed this during an interview via WhatsApp text message:

"There is a unique strategy before mediation is carried out on both parties. Then, the dispute handling team will call the parties first. This is done to find out what the parties want. So that later when the mediation is held, the parties can express their respective wishes. Assisted by BPN with a family approach by using a preventive effort strategy to produce a win-win solution,�

After the coordination meeting, the next stage is the final degree, which is the last step in the meeting between the parties involved in the dispute. This final degree marks the final mediation stage, after which the settlement of the land case will take place. However, the conclusion of the research shows that in the implementation stage of handling land boundary disputes, this process is regulated by the Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency Number 21 of 2020 on Handling and Settlement of Land Cases. However, in practice, not all stages will be implemented. Some stages can be ignored if an agreement has been reached between the parties to the dispute. This is in accordance with the results of an interview between the researcher and Miftahul Rahmah, who said: "Later, if the two parties have found common ground, we can call them both at a coordination meeting. If there is common ground, we can close it there." (Interview with Miftahul Rahmah, April 05, 2024).

Dimensions of Communication in Handling Land Boundary Disputes

In the research findings related to the communication dimension in handling land boundary disputes, researchers analyzed the communication process carried out by Lhokseumawe City Land Office employees involved in handling land boundary disputes. From the results of researcher interviews, the communication process carried out by employees involved in handling land boundary disputes is carried out face-to-face or directly at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office through a meeting forum, but if something is needed, but the employee concerned is not in the Office, communication is carried out via telephone calls or WhatsApp messages. This is based on the results of an interview with Miftahul Rahmah, who said:

"There is an incoming letter of complaint; it will be photocopied first and then dispositioned to each section, section 1, section 2, and section 5. So, through the letter, we get information on land dispute complaints. Info is also conveyed via whatsapp and by telephone. However, regarding further discussions, we use the meeting forum according to the regulations." (Interview with Miftahul Rahmah, April 05, 2024)

For the communication process carried out by the Lhokseumawe City Land Office with the parties to the dispute is by using letters or via WhatsApp. It can be concluded that the dimensions of organizational communication that occur at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office in handling land boundary disputes are carried out internally, consisting of vertical communication where, in this case, communication takes place from top to bottom and from bottom to top or reciprocal. Then horizontal communication is carried out by employees on a daily basis. Then, in terms of the type of internal communication, the type of persona-media communication is used, namely by using tools, for example, by letter or telephone, while the type of group communication is carried out through meetings. External communication carried out from the Lhokseumawe City Land Office to the disputing parties is carried out by letter for meeting summons or mediation.

Persuasive Techniques in Handling Land Boundary Disputes

In research focusing on persuasive techniques in handling land boundary disputes, researchers obtained data and information from Miftahul Rahmah's statement. According to Miftahul Rahmah, an approach is taken by telling the dire consequences that will be faced if the settlement process is not resolved through mediation. "Before directing the settlement to be carried out in Court, it will be conveyed first that court fees are expensive, so it is better if the dispute can be resolved in a family manner. Some parties accept it and reconcile, but some parties refuse, still stubborn." (Interview with Miftahul Rahmah, April 05, 2024).

The findings suggest that the technique used in handling land boundary disputes is the fear-arousing technique, "which scares or describes bad consequences." This technique explains that handling land boundary disputes through the Court will take a long time and incur expensive costs.

Triangulation

This study uses additional informants to test the validity of research data or triangulation. Researchers triangulate two additional informants: Mr. Akhyar Sirajuddin, S.T., S.H., and Mrs. Fitriani, S.H., M.H.

Triangulation 1: Mr. Akhyar Sirajuddin, S.T., S.H.

Mr. Akhyar Sirajuddin, S.T., S.H., better known as Mr. Akhyar, is the Head of the Dispute Control and Handling Division at the Regional Office of the National Land Agency of Aceh Province. Mr. Akhyar was triangulated to answer several questions related to the informant's answers, as well as his views on the process of handling land boundary disputes carried out by the Lhokseumawe City Land Office.

The researcher's first question was whether the process of handling disputes did refer to the Regulation of the Minister of ATR/BPN No. 21 of 2020 concerning Handling and Settlement of Land Cases, without exception. Mr. Akhyar's answer was, "It can be said that it is indeed a guideline and is one of the technical instructions in handling land disputes, and without exception."

It can be concluded that Miftahul Rahmah's informant statement is valid because the Regulation of the Minister of ATR / BPN No. 21 of 2020 concerning Handling and Settlement of Land Cases is indeed a guideline for handling land disputes. Furthermore, the researcher asked how the handling of land boundary disputes should be done in order to reach an agreement.

"For myself, the fun fact is that I have never been able to reconcile people. However, as I said at the beginning, the process actually still has to use Permen 21 of 2020, because the candy has explained what the stages of handling land cases are. First, there is assessment, there is research, and there is a review; in the review, we can decide whether a settlement can be made by mediation or not; if it turns out that the results of the review cannot be resolved by mediation, it means that it must be conveyed to the parties. Suppose it turns out that it can be mediated. In that case, a forum is created to bring the parties together and build the perception of the parties that we are in the middle so that the parties trust us. Now that the parties believe, we must build a joint commitment regarding the mediation process which the parties must follow".

Mr. Akhyar's statement that needs to be underlined is that in handling land disputes, the settlement can end peacefully if the parties to the dispute both commit to carrying out mediation; with this commitment, the meeting point can be more easily achieved. Furthermore, the researchers asked about the persuasive message conveyed to influence the parties. Mr. Akhyar's answer was:

"What we want is a win-win solution. This means that we are looking for opportunities that can be accepted by all parties, not harming the other party or the main party like that. When we conduct the review, we will obtain information related to the dispute, so that we can make what the mediation options are. The presentation of these options must be done in good language, which does not create negative connotations and confrontation. In the mediation forum, we must explain to them that I usually say, "If I review and scrutinize the files that we have, we can communicate this. If you do not want to go through this forum, then you can use the Court route, the Court route as we know is not cheap; there are registration fees, there is a trial process, there are many stages, and we also do not know whether you will win or not, rather than winning so charcoal, losing so ashes. In this forum, we make sure to find a win-win solution, not to find who is wrong and who is right; the decision is for the common good," that's how I put it."

Mr. Akhyar's statement complements what was conveyed by Miftahul Rahmah, namely the use of persuasive techniques to arouse fear; in this case, it is explained that if you do not choose a settlement through a mediation mechanism, the settlement can be carried out through the courts with adverse consequences such as costs and uncertainty of results. In handling land disputes, mediators are also needed, so the researcher asked Mr. Akhyar regarding this mediator whether only the Head of the Office and the Section Head are entitled; Mr. Akhyar's answer was as follows:

"The BPN, in the mediation process that requires a mediator, can be considered an Authoritative Mediator, so all employees in the BPN, even though they do not have a license as a mediator, automatically become Authoritative Mediators because we have the capacity, the capacity means that we hold the data, for example, we can see the certificate files, such as boundary agreements, all complete, other letters, but after we examine them we find one weakness in the letter. We can communicate that weakness to the relevant parties, such as "Ma'am, if this goes to Court, it will mean that you will not get this side or that side. So, actually we can influence the people in dispute because we have the capacity, we have data, we have documents, we have evidence that can help in the process of resolving the problem, which we will submit and prove to them. I also hope that my friends in the dispute section can use Google Earth; we can see the history, in the history we can see the condition of the Land in the years we want, whether there are changes or not, now from there, we can convey to the parties to influence them to make peace".

This makes it clear that it does not have to be the Head of Office or Section Head who can become a mediator in handling land disputes. All employees of the National Land Agency can become mediators. This is referred to as an authoritative mediator. An authoritative mediator is a person who has the capacity or potential to influence the final outcome of negotiations (Fahri, 2021).

Triangulation 2: Mrs. Fitriani, S.H., M.H.

The second triangulation in this study is Mrs. Fitriani, S.H., M.H., who works as a Judge and Judge Mediator at the Lhokseumawe District Court. The first question the researcher asked was related to what kind of good mediation process. According to her, the answers the researchers got were as follows:

"Mediation is actually a trial that is not formal. Every trial process can be evidentiary or otherwise; it can be done in mediation. So both parties can still carry out proof. The stages of mediation are as follows: First, usually, the mediator opens the mediation forum, just like a trial forum. Then read out the identity of the parties, whether the parties concerned are correct, whether they are attended in person or attended by their attorney. If attended by a proxy, the power of attorney will first be requested because the power of attorney in the trial is different from the power of attorney in the trial. This is because there are actually two case settlement processes that are combined in one forum. If it can be resolved here, then this one does not need to be carried out. If this one is not resolved, then we bring it to trial. Well, so the mediation process is after the reading of both parties, then the mediator introduces himself. If he is a mediator from the judge, then he is free of charge. If he is an external mediator, then there is usually a fee. If the mediator is from here or requested by the defendant, there is no fee, but if it is from outside, there is a fee. Then after the mediator introduces himself, the plaintiff will be asked what the problem is, after which the defendant will be asked the same question. Then, questions will also be asked regarding whether there is a chance for peace. If both parties say there is a chance for peace, we give them the opportunity to make a resume. So, the resume is a kind of brief claim from the plaintiff, but not like the one in the lawsuit; in the lawsuit, it is stated at length. What you want. Later, it will be read and given to the defendant. Well, they also convey what they want. For example, I am afraid I have to disagree with this; I want that. Later, it will still be discussed. Usually, we discuss them. For example, suppose the implementation of the trial or mediation is not conducive. In that case, the mediator usually takes the opportunity to call a caucus. So they can meet the parties individually, not attended by the other parties. Well, the mediation itself can be presented directly by the principal, the proxy, or both. If there is a power of attorney, then the power of attorney can make decisions directly. However, if there is none, then it still has to go through the principal. Then, if there is a discrepancy, they will need to prove it. For example, in the opening statement the party wants Land, the land boundary is this, then the proof is this, the certificate is this. Then, the other party also shows that he has evidence here. At that point, they still insist. Well, later we can carry out the caucus. Therefore, there is a second stage, which is whether or not to use persuasive communication. Actually, from the beginning of the process, the mediator uses a persuasive approach to both parties because the point of mediation itself is to resolve a case quickly, lightly, at a low cost, and to cool down both parties to resolve amicably. What is desired is a win-win solution, peacefully. So, if possible, the two parties do not have to fight. Well, that is why it was submitted to mediation earlier. If, in the process, it turns out that the parties are still insistent, the mediator is clever. How to deliver it, how to approach it".

In her statement, Ms. Fitriani explained the procedure of the mediation process conducted at the Court and her experience. The conclusion from this statement is that mediation is an informal hearing process that allows both parties to present evidence, similar to a formal trial. The process involves several stages: opening the forum, verifying the identity of the parties, introducing the mediator, and identifying the issues and possible amicable solutions. Mediation can be conducted by a mediator from the judge (at no cost) or from outside (at a cost). The mediator uses a persuasive approach throughout the process to achieve a win-win solution and resolve the dispute amicably, quickly, and cheaply. If the mediation process is not conducive, the mediator may caucus to speak with the parties individually. The main objective of mediation is to avoid protracted conflicts and resolve problems in a mutually beneficial way. Furthermore, the researcher asked what kind of persuasive process was carried out. The answer from Mrs. Fitriani was:

"For me, it is more about an emotional approach, about social responsibility, especially when it comes to land boundaries. There was a case when I was still on duty in Lhoksukon; for example, the boundary was still being measured first, but the wall of the house used the opposite Land. So, if you put it, the back wall passes through the other Land. So, then we approached them, would they like to use the method of reconciliation, or would they like compensation? Or to the plaintiff, what are his plans regarding the Land? For example, if he wants to sell it, is the defendant willing to compensate? If they are willing, the problem is solved. Then, the amount of compensation is determined, for example, the market price. This means that we leave it to them what kind of agreement. It depends on the parties. The mediator is only a facilitator. So, the facilitator is not binding, but he still gives the opportunity to the parties the agreement between the two. We only provide possibilities, views, and opportunities for what they can do. He explained that if they still insist on the boundary issue in this case. The trial is not necessarily over; there will be appeals and all kinds of things. When will it be finished? Meanwhile, mediation might be faster. Then the cost, how much must be spent. Then what are their social conditions in the future, how do they meet. Is it time for neighbors next door to be at odds because of this case? Then, later, if they die or are hit by other calamities. That is usually what we tell them. Moreover, generally, if it is a small case, it is not a problem. They want peace, compensation, or something else. However, sometimes what makes them unwilling to reconcile is usually it's more about ego. So sometimes these plaintiffs have a powerful ego, they feel proud like, "Here we are, in court, then that is it, we are done" like that. They feel that because they are the ones who are suing, this is the Land they want. That is why we try to approach them again."

The conclusion from Ms. Fitriani's statement is that the persuasive techniques used are integration techniques and fear arousal techniques, which are carried out with an emotional approach by linking the land boundary issue with social responsibility and its impact on neighborly relations to arouse the feelings and empathy of the disputing parties, and also reminding the parties of the importance of maintaining good relations as neighbors and the potential for future social problems if the dispute continues. It also emphasizes that trials can be time consuming, expensive, and do not guarantee a settlement, to encourage parties to consider mediation as a more efficient alternative. These are expected to sensitize and encourage disputants to be more open to mutually beneficial solutions. Ms. Fitriani's statement also supports the statement made by Miftahul Rahmah where the caucus process is carried out in the mediation process. However, what is different in the Lhokseumawe City Land Office is that the caucus process is carried out first. Then mediation is carried out, but if in the Court the mediation is first, then if the mediation process is not conducive, the caucus process is carried out. The use of persuasive techniques is also carried out by using techniques to arouse fear.

Communication Strategy in Handling Land Boundary Disputes

Communication strategy and communication planning are two interrelated and complementary aspects, both of which are key in determining the achievement of a goal. A communication strategy is an optimal plan that combines various communication elements to achieve the desired goal. Meanwhile, communication planning refers to a process of conscious and systematic communication activities in formulating consistent policies toward achieving the desired goals. Therefore, communication strategy will naturally start with communication planning because planning is the primary capital in developing a strategy (Ummah et al., 2021).

Canara (2014) introduces that communication planning consists of nine models. Based on the research results, the five-step communication planning model is suitable for analyzing communication strategies in handling land boundary disputes at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office.

The five-step communication planning model consists of five stages, namely research, planning, implementation, measurement/evaluation, and finally, reporting. Meanwhile, the handling of land boundary disputes is based on Article 6 paragraph (1) of the Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning / National Land Agency Number 21 of 2020 concerning Handling and Settlement of Land Cases stating that dispute handling is carried out through seven stages, namely case assessment, initial title, research, exposing research results, coordination meetings, final title and finally case settlement, the number of stages in handling disputes is seven stages. This is also in accordance with the results of the researcher's interview with Informant Miftahul Rahmah, who said: "..... As for the stages, we are still in accordance with Permen 21 of 2020 ".

Suppose the stages of the five-step communication planning model and the stages of handling land boundary disputes are juxtaposed. In that case, it can be seen the suitability and relevance of the communication planning process and the handling of land boundary disputes. The stages in the five-step communication planning model can be linked to the stages in handling land boundary disputes to achieve compatibility and continuity in the process. The comparison of the stages resulted in the following:

1. The research stage in the five-step communication planning model, when juxtaposed with the stages in the dispute-handling process, is the case assessment stage.

The research stage in the five-step communication planning model refers to the process of gathering information and an in-depth understanding of the situation or issue to be addressed by an organization/institution. This stage includes problem identification, audience analysis, and an in-depth understanding of the context and challenges to be faced. This is similar to the case assessment stage in handling land boundary disputes, which involves an in-depth analysis of the problem, including the identification of legal, geographical, and administrative aspects relevant to the case. At this stage, the measurement section will go to the field where the land boundary dispute is occurring to gather the evidence and information needed to understand the root of the problem. It also involves identifying the parties involved in the boundary dispute and their needs and desires regarding the resolution of the case. The outcome of the case assessment is an employee review and will form the basis for the initial title stage. The process of assessing this case, as conveyed by Muhammad Arif in the interview process said, "Go down first. If you have an internal meeting first, how do we know the case? Not everyone can explain the case. How can the public explain the cases?".

2. The planning stage in the five-step communication planning model, when juxtaposed with the stages in the dispute-handling process, is the initial title, research, and exposure of research results.

In the five-step communication model, this planning stage is the process of preparing a communication plan or strategy that will be applied to handle the situation or problem that has been identified. This planning process includes selecting the right message, selecting effective communication channels, and developing strategies to achieve the communication goals that have been set. In addition, this planning stage will also determine the steps that will be taken to implement the formulated communication strategy. This is similar to the stages carried out in handling land boundary disputes, namely the initial title, research, and exposure of research results. In all of these processes, the team involved is a team that is included in the Decree; the team consists of the Head of Office, the dispute control and handling section, the land infrastructure section, and the rights determination and registration section. All of these processes have the purpose of discussing land boundary dispute cases in more detail, evaluating the information that has been collected during the case assessment stage and will be carried out again if field research is still needed. However, if it is not needed, it will be continued with an expose of the research results which is helpful in formulating the handling strategy to be applied. During the meeting, the participants who are included in the Decision Letter in handling land boundary disputes will discuss the following steps to be taken in the process of resolving land boundary disputes and determine their respective roles in implementing the chosen communication strategy.

3. The implementation stage in the five-step communication planning model, when juxtaposed with the stages in the dispute-handling process, is the coordination meeting.

In the five-step communication planning model, the implementation stage is the implementation of the communication plan that has been developed. This is the stage where the strategies and tactics that have been designed begin to be implemented. This implementation includes the use of various communication channels, the delivery of messages to target audiences, and the direct implementation of communication strategies. During this stage, implementers need to ensure that messages are delivered clearly and effectively in accordance with the objectives set out in the planning. This is suitable in relation to the process of handling land boundary disputes in the form of coordination meetings. Coordination meetings in the process of handling disputes are meetings held to discuss strategies and steps to be taken in handling disputes. However, the implementation carried out by the Lhokseumawe City Land Office at this stage actually summoned the parties involved in the land boundary dispute; at this stage, the Lhokseumawe City Land Office issued its communication strategy in the form of an approach to each party to the dispute, where in this case it was asked what the parties wanted.

4. Next is the measurement/evaluation stage in the five-step communication planning model. When juxtaposed with the stages in the dispute-handling process, this stage is the final degree.

The measurement/evaluation stage in the five-step communication planning model is the stage where the results of communication strategies and actions are systematically evaluated. In this stage, measurements are made of the extent to which communication objectives have been achieved, the effectiveness of the messages conveyed, and the impact of the communication activities carried out. This evaluation provides insight into the performance of the communication strategy that has been implemented and helps in determining whether changes or adjustments are needed to achieve the desired communication objectives. The final degree stage in the land boundary dispute handling process is the final stage, where the parties involved in the dispute come together to conduct a final mediation and resolve the land case. The final degree is intended to evaluate the handling that has been carried out, ensure the suitability of evidence data and witness and expert testimony, refine the case file, and determine whether or not the application of laws and regulations to the case is appropriate. The two stages are similar in terms of evaluation, where both are the final stages in the process that aim to evaluate the final results of the efforts made, be it in the context of communication planning or dispute resolution. Evaluation is essential to ensure that the process is effective and delivers the desired results.

5. Case resolution is the reporting stage in the five-step communication planning model when juxtaposed with the stages in the dispute-handling process.

The reporting stage in the five-step communication planning model is where the results of the evaluation and implementation of the communication strategy are shared with relevant parties. It involves preparing a report detailing the results of the evaluation, the achievement of the communication objectives, as well as recommendations for future improvements or adjustments. In this stage, the report is compiled comprehensively by taking into account the data and information collected during the implementation process. The report is then submitted to the parties involved in the communication planning process, such as management, clients, or other stakeholders. The primary purpose of the reporting stage is to ensure transparency, accountability, and organizational learning. Through this report, relevant parties can understand the results of the communication strategy that has been implemented, as well as gain insights to improve the effectiveness of communication in the future. The final stage of land dispute resolution is the stage of land case settlement, where in this process, a case settlement proposal letter is produced. The case settlement proposal letter results in a decision with the following criteria:

a. Criterion One (K1) if the solution is final, in the form of:

1) cancellation decision;

2) peace; or

3) a letter of refusal may not be granted.

b. Criterion Two (K2) is:

1) A letter of instructions for Case Settlement or a letter of determination of the entitled party, but the settlement decision cannot be followed up because there are conditions that must be met, which are the authority of other agencies;

2) A letter of recommendation for Case Settlement from the Ministry to the Regional Office or Land Office according to its authority and the Regional Office to the Land Office or a proposal for Settlement from the Land Office to the Regional Office and the Regional Office to the Minister.

c. Criterion Three (K3) in the form of a notification letter is not the authority of the Ministry.

In the process of resolving land disputes, the basis of the report is the minutes of the results of the final title.

From some of the explanations above, the communication strategy used by the Lhokseumawe City Land Office is the use of caucuses before mediation. Previous research conducted by (Irvan et al., 2014), (Jalil, 2014), and (Frisutami, 2016) show that land dispute resolution is generally carried out through the mediation process. This finding is also in line with research conducted by (Martina et al., 2020). However, their research is related to the settlement of information dispute cases. The results of their research also show that in resolving information dispute cases, the mediation process is often involved. The Lhokseumawe City Land Office indeed uses the mediation process in handling land boundary disputes. However, what became their strategy so that they could get the award three times in a row was the meeting with each party involved in the dispute first this in the mediation process in the Court is called a caucus. (Wakhidah et al., 2024) explain that a caucus is a meeting involving a mediator and one party involved in conflict resolution, where conversations and information shared are considered confidential to the other parties involved. Caucuses can involve one party and their lawyer or involve one party without the other party present and usually occur during the mediation process. The functions of a caucus are as follows:

1. I am overcoming deadlock and exploring the hidden interests of each party.

2. Provide opportunities to provide additional information and investigate hidden agendas.

3. Assist the mediator in understanding the motivations of each party involved.

4. Assess the level of reality and consider proposed options.

5. Steer the parties towards constructive negotiations.

6. Develop and evaluate new alternatives in conflict resolution.

The Lhokseumawe City Land Office conducts a caucus process by summoning the parties through correspondence. First, a meeting is held with one of the parties, and then, on the following day, only the other party is summoned. The separate summons is carried out to ask how they viewed the dispute case and what each party wanted. The communication process is conducted face-to-face, and local languages are used if the disputing parties do not understand or use Bahasa Indonesia.

Dimensions of Communication in Handling Land Boundary Disputes

(Riinawati, 2021) The communication dimension of organizational life consists of internal communication and external communication. Internal communication is communication that occurs between people in the organization in the process of dividing tasks in order to achieve communication goals. Internal communication is divided into two dimensions and two types.

The dimensions of internal communication include vertical and horizontal communication. Vertical communication refers to the reciprocal flow of top-down and bottom-up communication. In vertical communication, managers provide directions, information, and explanations to subordinates, while subordinates provide feedback, proposals, or reports to managers. On the other hand, horizontal communication is communication between members of the organization who have equal positions. Unlike vertical communication which tends to be more formal, horizontal communication is often more informal and more memorable in peer-to-peer interactions.

Types of internal communication include personal communication and group communication. Persona communication is communication carried out directly or indirectly. For communication processes carried out indirectly, it is called media persona communication, because communication is carried out through the media of letters, telephones, or messages. Group communication is carried out face-to-face communication process through a meeting and briefing.

From the results of interviews conducted by researchers with informant Miftahul Rahmah and the results of observations made by researchers when visiting the Lhokseumawe City Land Office, internal communication that occurs among Lhokseumawe City Land Office employees in handling land boundary disputes is carried out vertically and horizontally, as well as persona and group. The vertical and group communication processes are put together during the initial title meeting stage, where a meeting is held to report and discuss land boundary dispute cases that are included in the complaint register to the Head of Office. In this case, communication occurs between the Head of the Lhokseumawe City Land Office and employees from the Land Infrastructure Section, the Rights Determination and Registration Section, and the Dispute Control and Handling Section. Communication takes place reciprocally, where employees explain the causes of land boundary disputes, what happens in the field, and how conditions are in the field.

Horizontal and personal communication is also carried out by employees involved in the process of handling land boundary disputes. Communication between employees, starting from the Land Infrastructure Section, the Rights Determination and Registration Section, and the Dispute Control and Handling Section, is carried out face-to-face while remaining relaxed and not rigid in the Lhokseumawe City Land Office. However, sometimes communication is also carried out using telephone media or WhatsApp messages if the employees involved are not in the Office.

The dimension of communication in organizational life also includes external communication. External communication is communication that occurs between leaders or organizational administrators and audiences outside the organization (Fa'iz, 2024). In the context of handling land boundary disputes, external communication refers to the interaction that occurs between leaders or representatives of the Lhokseumawe City Land Office and the community involved in land boundary disputes. There are two directions in external communication, namely, from the institution to the community and vice versa, from the community to the institution. In handling land boundary disputes, the Lhokseumawe City Land Office, in this case, acts as an institution that carries out the external communication process to the community involved in the land boundary dispute through a series of meetings, which are part of the stages of handling land boundary disputes. Through these meetings, the Lhokseumawe City Land Office acts as a facilitator to facilitate interaction between the parties involved in the dispute.

Persuasive Communication Techniques in Handling Land Boundary Disputes

The results of the researcher's interview with Informants Miftahul Rahmah, Rijal, Mr. Akhyar Sirajuddin, and Mrs. Fitriani explained that the persuasive communication techniques used in the process of handling land boundary disputes in this case when conducting the mediation stage are using integration persuasive techniques and techniques to arouse fear. The delivery of persuasive messages using these techniques is delivered with positive sentences; although it arouses fear, it is only to scare so that the parties involved can be affected; it is not done to have a negative effect.

During the process of handling land boundary disputes, the Lhokseumawe City Land Office organizes a series of meetings with the parties involved in the dispute. The meetings are not only aimed at discussing the dispute case but also as a forum for conducting communication approaches aimed at influencing the parties involved to reach an amicable agreement.

The communication approach is carried out using persuasive techniques, the techniques used are integration techniques and techniques to arouse fear. The use of integration techniques is needed because the purpose of using this technique is for the communicant to feel the sincerity of the communicator. This is in line with what was conveyed by Mrs. Fitriani, who stated that when facing stubborn people, we must be able to touch their hearts by playing with their ego, taking a family approach that makes him think we are of the same mind as him, and then touching with religious elements. This approach is expected to have a good effect on the process of handling land boundary disputes. Previous similar research from (Rubino et al. 2023) also found that a family approach is needed to succeed in the socialization of the program to be carried out.

Furthermore, in handling land boundary disputes, fear-inducing techniques are often used. This technique is applied by providing an understanding that if mediation is unsuccessful, then the dispute must be resolved through the courts. The parties involved are told that the court process will be complicated, costly, and a waste of time. Thus, it is intended to encourage the parties to be more serious in trying to reach an agreement through mediation. This research also found that in the process of influencing the parties involved in land boundary disputes, the Lhokseumawe City Land Office also always urged the parties to install and maintain their land stakes.

The results of this study show the existence of novelty, namely the caucus process before the implementation of mediation in the process of handling land boundary disputes or other land disputes. The caucus process used by the Lhokseumawe City Land Office is by calling each party involved separately to ask what they want. In general, previous similar studies on communication strategies in handling land disputes have used the mediation process but did not use the caucus process, so it can be a novelty in this research.

CONCLUSION

The conclusion in this study shows that communication strategy and planning are interrelated and complementary, both are important to achieve goals. This research uses the five-step communication planning model to analyze the strategy for handling land boundary disputes at the Lhokseumawe City Land Office. The stages in this model are adapted to the dispute handling process and show that the office uses a caucus process before mediation, unlike the general approach of direct mediation. The communication process between leaders, employees, and between employees, both internally and externally, is very important in determining the objectives of dispute handling. Internal communication occurs vertically and horizontally through meetings, phone calls, and messages, while external communication involves the office acting as a facilitator. Persuasive techniques such as integration (negotiation) and inducing fear (explaining consequences) are used effectively in resolving disputes.

This study has several important implications. First, the importance of structured communication planning and strategy in handling land boundary disputes can serve as a guide for other government agencies in managing similar conflicts. Second, the use of effective persuasion techniques can enhance the efficiency of dispute resolution. Therefore, it is recommended that the Lhokseumawe City Land Office continue to develop internal and external communication skills through training and capacity building. Additionally, further research is needed to explore other communication models that can be applied in different contexts to enrich approaches to land dispute resolution.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to express their deepest gratitude to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (KOMINFO) for financial aid in carrying out this research. The first author also offer sincere appreciation to KOMINFO for supporting them during their study at Universitas Sumatera Utara.

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