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.