Joint Call

Free the Peasants of Kelompok Tani Masyarakat Ingin Makmur (KTMIM) and Investigate the violation of human rights in Banjaran village, Secanggang subdistrict, Langkat district

On July 25, 2008, at around 09.30, approximately hundred of employers of PT Buana Estate along with 3 trucks of Mobile Brigade attacked and racked tens of female and male farmers that are joined in Kelompok Tani Masyarakat Ingin Makmur (KTMIM) while the peasants were safeguarding the disputed land.

In the attack, a woman was severely injured, namely Ponisih, 36 years old. Until now, Ponisih has been in coma and has been treated in Surya Stabat hospital after being hit by a tracktor carrying oil palm. Her whole body was then brutally kicked by more than three people of Mobile Brigade (Brimob). In the attack, the police arrested 46 farmers, 44 men, and 2 women, Ana, 35 years old and Ganong, 55 years old.

The disputed land belongs to the people of Kampung Banjaran that have lived in there for generations since 1931. But in 1985, Plantation PT Buana Estate forced them to move out from the land  though the land has been declared out of the right to use for PT Buana Estate in the Decree of Home Affairs Ministry No.9/HGU/DA/82 dated 25 June 1982.

Upon the attack and rack that Brimob has committed, we, organizer of rural community that is joined in Bina Desa condemned the impertinence and demanded:

The police to quickly:

1. Take the responsibility of violations against KTMIM farmers and Ponisih who is now in coma in the hospital.
2. Free 46 KTMIM farmers  that have been arrested by the police since 25 July 2008.
3. Stop torture and criminalization of farmers that are fighting for their rights.
4. Uphold justice and stop to being the stooges of PT Buana Estate.

 We also demand:

1. PT Buana Estate to return the land that is entitled to Kampung Banjaran people.
2. National Commission of Human Rights to investigate the human right violations that happened to KTMIM farmers of Kampung Banjaran.
3. National Commission of Anti-Violence against Women to investigate violence experienced by female farmers that are joined in KTMIM.
4. National Land Agency to be firm against the violation of land use right that PT Buana Estate has committed.
5. Government of Republic Indonesia to resolve agrarian conflicts and to implement the real agrarian reform that is socially just.

 

Bogor, 26 July 2008

Bina Desa and organizer of rural communities in Aceh, North Sumatera, West Sumatera, South Sumatera, Lampung, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Central Sulawesi.

Contact Person:

Tina Napitupulu, 0813 847 68058 (Bina Desa)

Ariadi, 0852 761 79005 (organizer in Langkat area )

M. Zaemul Umam, 0813 251 03307 (IHCS – Lawyer of Bina Desa)