Landgrabbing in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, Indonesia: The Case of PT Lonsum and the Indigenous People's Struggle to Reclaim their Land

Sun, 03/09/2014 - 13:12 -- apc secretariat

On March 24 to 26,2013, the Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA) and the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), organized an International Fact Finding Mission (IFFM) in line with our advocacy for genuine land reform and in defense of the indigenous people's land,livelihood and the environment against the impacts of landgrabbing in Indonesia. The IFFM team was composed of 32 participants coming from India, Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia. The team exposed decades of legalized landgrabbing by PT Lonsum and called to give back more than 5,000 hectares of agricultural land taken from the Bulukumba people since 1968.

On 12th August 2013, three thousand Bulukumba people led by AGRA, occupied PT Lonsum plantation to reclaim their land. They were met by the representative of local Bulukumba government who promised to deliver their demands to the Governor of South Sulawesi to start the mediation. Unfortunately, until today, the Indonesian government are doing nothing to resolve the land conflict. 

Worse, PT Lonsum colluded with the Indonesian military to harass the people of Bulukumba. On 23rd November 2013, Mr. Marzuki Bin Tajuddin, 28 years old, was shot four times on his thigh by Mr. Briptu Khalik, a local police. Marzuki is a friend of AGRA member and a resident of Bulusanni,Bonto Mangiring, Bulukumpa District in Bulukumba Regency. Marzuki also supports the struggle to reclaim their land.

Meanwhile, on 11th October 2013, the APC sent Ms. Sylvia Mallari (APC Senior Researcher) to meet Mr. Ulrik Halsteen, Human Rights Officer of the Special Procedures Branch, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva to personally submit and discussed the results of the IFFM in Indonesia. Ms. Mallari, also met two other colleagues of Mr. Halsteen. The UN officials promised to support our struggle. But prior to this meeting, Ms. Mallari, met with Mr. Olivier de Schutter, the UN Special Rapportuer on Right to Food on October 5 during the International Food Security and Nutrition Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy. 

Ribuan Petani Datangi DPRD Wonosobo

Soroti Masalah Agraria KELILING KOTA: Ribuan petani dari berbagai daerah di Indonesia melakukan aksi berjalan keliling Kota Wonosobo, Selasa kemarin. Mereka menyoroti hak-hak petani yang belum diperhatikan. Massa saat melintas Jalan A Yani, depan pasar induk Wonosobo, Selasa kemarin. (55t) WONOSOBO - Ribuan petani dari berbagai provinsi di Indonesia yang tergabung dalam Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA) melakukan aksi di kota Wonosobo. Mereka keliling kota pegunungan itu dan berakhir di Gedung DPRD, Selasa kemarin. Ribuan petani itu berjalan kaki memenuhi sepanjang Jalan Angkatan 45, Veteran, Tosari, dan A Yani. Arus lalu lintas kendaraan disalurkan melalui jalan lain. Sepanjang jalan peserta aksi meneriakan yel-yel dan berpidato menyoroti kondisi petani, khususnya masalah agraria. Peserta aksi membawa spanduk, poster, dan ratusan bendera AGRA. Yang menarik, aksi juga diikuti kelompok kesenian tradisional dan diiringi grup drum band. Bahkan di halaman Gedung DPRD Wonosobo, di sela-sela pidato ditampilkan hiburan musik oleh grup band. Di Gedung DPRD aksi dijaga aparat Polres. Rapat umum atau aksi massa petani itu merupakan puncak acara rangkaian Konferensi Nasional Gerakan Tani yang telah berlangsung empat hari di Sanggar Kegiatan Belajar Sidojoyo Wonosobo, 20-23 Februari 2004. Bubarkan Perhutani Saat berpidato di halaman Gedung DPRD Wonosobo, para petani menilai selama ini hak mereka tidak diperhatikan sehingga kehidupan mereka makin sengsara. Petani tak diberi kesempatan mengelola hutan. Karena itu mereka menuntut Perhutani dibubarkan. Derita petani makin berat ketika harga obat dan pupuk pertanian kian naik. Namun harga produksi pertanian justru turun. Dalam kondisi seperti itu, wakil rakyat tak peduli dan kurang berpihak kepada rakyat petani. Ketua Komisi B DPRD Wonosobo, Moh Muqorrobin Toha SAg, didampingi Wakil Ketua Komisi B Krustanto, naik ke atas truk di hadapan massa petani. Dia menandaskan aspirasi petani akan diperjuangkan wakil rakyat. Muqorrobin berjanji mendampingi petani. Perda tentang PSDHBM akan terus diperjuangkan. Namun dia mengakui itu memerlukan kesabaran, waktu, dan komitmen tinggi. Menyinggung soal privatisasi air, dia menyatakan hal itu harus ditentang. Hal-hal yang tak berpihak ke kepentingan rakyat harus terus diperjuangkan. Wakil Ketua komisi B Krustanto menyatakan selama ini pemerintah telah memperhatikan nasib petani. Dia mengakui sangat apresiatif terhadap berbagai keluhan petani. Dia berjanji untuk terus memperjuangkan. Mengakhiri aksi di depan gedung wakil rakyat, AGRA menyampaikan sikap politik. AGRA menilai demokrasi tidak ada tanpa land reform. AGRA mendesak pemerintah segera menyelesaikan konflik agraria dengan melibatkan organisasi massa tani. Mereka menolak segala bentuk kekerasan dalam penyelesaian konflik agraria. AGRA mendesak pembebasan tokoh-tokoh petani yang dihukum karena memperjuangkan kepentingan rakyat atas tanah dan sumber agraria lain. Tokoh petani yang ditahan antara lain berada di Bulukumba (Sulawesi Selatan), Garut, Ciamis, dan Subang (Jawa Barat), Muko-muko (Bengkulu), Labon Batu, Porsea (Sumatera Utara), Seseba (Sulawesi Tenggara), Manggarai (NTT), Halmahera, Banyuwangi, Banyumas, dan Lombok Tengah. Mereka juga mendukung perjuangan petani untuk mewujudkan pembaruan agraria. Di bidang politik, mereka menyeru massa tani tidak memilih partai dan politikus yang terbukti antirakyat dan anti-land reform. Petani harus memperkuat organisasi rakyat dari desa sampai tingkat nasional, sehingga bisa berperan dalam pembaruan agraria.(P55-80g) sumber: http://www.suaramerdeka.com/harian/0402/25/nas3.htm

Land Acquisition Bill will heighten landgrabbing in Indonesia

APC | 17 December 2011

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) condemn the Indonesian parliament for approving, on December 16, a long-awaited land acquisition bill. The APC says the bill will intensify landgrabbing in Indonesia.

“Land Acquisition Bill will heighten landgrabbing in Indonesia. Although the bill only applies to government projects, it will benefit privately operated projects on government-bought land. The government is relying on about $150 billion of private investment between 2010 and 2014 to overhaul its roads, railways and ports,” remarked Rahmat Ajiguna, Deputy Secretary General of the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) and concurrent Secretary General of the Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA) based in Indonesia.

Lawmakers passed the legislation after The Land Procurement Parliamentary Special Committee and the government agreed on a draft of the bill on Dec. 14. And the controversial bill was passed despite a barrage of interruptions from members of the 560-strong parliament.

“It is not true that the bill is driven by public interest. The bill disregards traditional land rights and could lead to more conflict over land and forced expropriation of property. The bill covers infrastructure projects such as roads, dams, tunnels, railways, ports and airports, oil, gas and geothermal facilities, power plants and their distribution networks, hospitals and telecom networks. Though it is limited to government projects but it allows government to partner with state-owned firms and the private sector,” added Rahmat.

“While the Indonesian government says the bill may reinvigorate President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s push to double spending on roads, ports and airports to $140 billion and increase economic growth by an average 6.6 percent per year by the end of his term in 2014. It will result to increasing agrarian conflict that will affect thousands of peasants land and livelihoods. One example is the massacre of 30 people in Masuji that oppose the oil palm plantation PT Inhutani Silva in 2003 Until today, justice was not given on Masuji’s massacre and agrarian problems were never resolve,” Rahmat declared.

The law must be signed by President Yudhoyono within 30 days before taking effect.

The APC and AGRA is calling for the rejection of the Land Acquisition Bill. The group is also demanding to investigate the case of Masuji. Finally, they urge the government to provide land for the landless Indonesian people by implementing genuine land reform.

- See more at: http://farmlandgrab.org/post/view/19785-indonesia-s-land-acquisition-bill-will-intensify-landgrabbing-says-asian-peasant-group#sthash.34220YJs.dpuf

Masyarakat Internasional Kecam Perampasan Tanah di Bulukumba

Metrotvnews.com, Jakarta: Misi Pencarian Fakta Internasional (IFFM) sejumlah Lembaga Swadaya Masyarakat (LSM) dari India, Kamboja, Filipina, dan Indonesia mengungkapkan bahwa kehilangan kepemilikan tanah di Asia dalam 10 tahun terakhir semakin memprihatinkan. 

Di antaranya perampasan tanah perkebunan karet di Bulukumba, Sulawesi Selatan, oleh PT Perusahaan Perkebunan London Sumatra (PT PP Lonsum).

Di Indonesia, pembangunan perkebunan besar dan pengerukan sumber daya alam berbanding lurus dengan meningkatnya perampasan tanah. Tim IFFM mewawancarai masyarakat di empat desa di Bulukumba yakni Desa Bonto Baji, Tamatto, Malleleng, dan Bonto Biraeng.

Mereka kehilangan hak atas tanah, tidak ada akses kesehatan dan sekolah, serta tidak ada air bersih.

Ketua Citizen Concerned Dam and Development (CCDD) Ranjan dari India mengatakan perampasan tanah menyebabkan terputusnya kehidupan suku pedalaman setempat.

"Lebih parah lagi, pemerintah Indonesia mendukung PT Lonsum yang mendapat HGU sejak 1968 itu sering menggunakan militer (termasuk polisi) dan bertindak secara brutal terhadap masyarakat Bulukumba dan telah menelan korban.

Penangkapan, intimidasi, dan kekerasan suku minoritas di Kajang menyebabkan mereka kehilangan sumber kehidupan," kata Ranjan dalam siaran pers 'Perampasan Tanah Adat' di kantor KontraS, Jalan Borobudur, Menteng, Jakarta, Kamis (28/3).

Sekretaris Jenderal Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA), Rahmat Ajiguna mengatakan advokasi reforma agraria yang dilakukan untuk mempertahankan sumber kehidupanan, lingkungan, dan tanah suku bangsa minoritas.

"Kami menuntut pemerintah dan PT Lonsum mengembalikan tanah seluas 5.748,46 Ha yang dirampas dari masyarakat Bulukumba. Segera laksanakan reforma agraria. Tanah untuk petani, tanah untuk rakyat," tegas Rahmat

http://www.metrotvnews.com/metronews/read/2013/03/28/1/142120/-Masyarakat-Internasional-Kecam-Perampasan-Tanah-di-

Landgrabbing in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, Indonesia: The Case of PT Lonsum and the Indigenous People's Struggle to Reclaim their Land

Sun, 03/09/2014 - 13:12 -- apc secretariat

On March 24 to 26,2013, the Aliansi Gerakan Reforma Agraria (AGRA) and the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), organized an International Fact Finding Mission (IFFM) in line with our advocacy for genuine land reform and in defense of the indigenous people's land,livelihood and the environment against the impacts of landgrabbing in Indonesia. The IFFM team was composed of 32 participants coming from India, Philippines, Cambodia and Indonesia. The team exposed decades of legalized landgrabbing by PT Lonsum and called to give back more than 5,000 hectares of agricultural land taken from the Bulukumba people since 1968.

On 12th August 2013, three thousand Bulukumba people led by AGRA, occupied PT Lonsum plantation to reclaim their land. They were met by the representative of local Bulukumba government who promised to deliver their demands to the Governor of South Sulawesi to start the mediation. Unfortunately, until today, the Indonesian government are doing nothing to resolve the land conflict. 

Worse, PT Lonsum colluded with the Indonesian military to harass the people of Bulukumba. On 23rd November 2013, Mr. Marzuki Bin Tajuddin, 28 years old, was shot four times on his thigh by Mr. Briptu Khalik, a local police. Marzuki is a friend of AGRA member and a resident of Bulusanni,Bonto Mangiring, Bulukumpa District in Bulukumba Regency. Marzuki also supports the struggle to reclaim their land.

Meanwhile, on 11th October 2013, the APC sent Ms. Sylvia Mallari (APC Senior Researcher) to meet Mr. Ulrik Halsteen, Human Rights Officer of the Special Procedures Branch, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva to personally submit and discussed the results of the IFFM in Indonesia. Ms. Mallari, also met two other colleagues of Mr. Halsteen. The UN officials promised to support our struggle. But prior to this meeting, Ms. Mallari, met with Mr. Olivier de Schutter, the UN Special Rapportuer on Right to Food on October 5 during the International Food Security and Nutrition Civil Society Mechanism (CSM) at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy.