Indonesia: Land for peasants or for tourism?
November 11, 2005
On September 18th, 2005, the local police of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, fired into a crowd of more than 700 peasants who had come together to prepare a week-long series of activities to commemorate Indonesia's National Peasants' Day. Twenty-seven persons were wounded, four were hospitalised and six peasants were arrested. The peasants were opposing the planned construction of a new international airport in a fertile area of Lombok. One month before the shooting, 2631 peasants had been evicted from their land by the local authorities to make way for the planned airport. Since land is their only means of livelihood, the right to food of these peasants' families is threatened.
La Via Campesina
International Operative Secretariat
Jalan Mampang Prapatan XIV No 5
Jakarta Selatan 12790, Jakarta - Indonesia
Tel +62 21 7991890
Fax +62 21 7993426
viacampesina@viacampesina.org
Contact Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform:
viacampesina_cgra@multivisionhn.net
Tel: +504 235 9915 //+504 232 2198
FIAN
International Secretariat
P.O. Box 10 22 43
D - 69012 Heidelberg, Germany
Tel + 49 6221 65300 30
Fax +49 6221 830545
fian@fian.org
Global Campaign for Agrarian Reform
EMERGENCY NETWORK
0522AIDO (ARC0510) 02.11.2005
Indonesia: Land for peasants or for tourism? The right to food of more than 7000 persons is threatened by the construction of an international airport, Tanak Awu, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara
On September 18th, 2005, the local police of Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, fired into a crowd of more than 700 peasants who had come together to prepare a week-long series of activities to commemorate Indonesia's National Peasants' Day. Twenty-seven persons were wounded, four were hospitalised and six peasants were arrested. The peasants were opposing the planned construction of a new international airport in a fertile area of Lombok. One month before the shooting, 2631 peasants had been evicted from their land by the local authorities to make way for the planned airport. Since land is their only means of livelihood, the right to food of these peasants' families is threatened.
International action is necessary to support the peasants who are fighting against the construction of a new international airport on their land. Please write a polite letter to Mr. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, requesting him to withdraw the airport construction plan, unless land for land rehabilitation of the oustees is not guaranteed.
Profile
Lombok is an island in the West Nusa Tenggara province located in south-central Indonesia. The rate of malnutrition is higher in West Nusa Tenggara than the national average. The province has a serious problem of child malnutrition.
It is estimated that more than 7000 people live in the village of Tanak Awu which is located in Central Lombok. The peasants' families have been living in the area for generations. The land conflict in Lombok began in 1995 when the state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I reportedly expropriated 850 hectares of fertile land by an administrative act. Since then, the local municipality leaders have oppressed the peasants. The airport construction slowed down when crisis hit Indonesia in the late 90s, but it was put back on agenda in 2005. In fact, the New Lombok Airport International Airport was among the 37 projects which were presented to investors for sponsorship at Indonesian Infrastructure Summit 2005. Already on August 23rd 2005, 2631 peasants of Tanak Awu were forcibly evicted by the local authorities who were accompanied by the police to make way for the planned airport.
In August 2005, FIAN launched an urgent action (0518UIDO) calling on the government of Indonesia to withdraw the Presidential Regulation No. 36/2005 which permits the compulsory acquisition of land for public facilities such as airports without due process and without safeguards for poor landholders.
The villagers in Tanak Awu were never consulted about the airport construction and more than 2000 peasants were already forcibly evicted without compensation and are unable to feed themselves. There is a modern airport in Lombok which only needs modest expansion to allow international flights. The 850 hectares of land on which the new airport has been planned are fertile and the peasants have been cultivating the land to sustain their livelihood.
The shooting on September 18, 2005, occurred a few hours before an international delegation composed of FIAN, La Via Campesina and some international NGOs reached the place. The peasants had invited them to their meeting to discuss about the ongoing land struggles due to the planned construction of the airport.
The Mandate of the Emergency Net
The construction of the planned international airport in Lombok will threaten the right to food of around 7000 people in Tanak Awu who are living on this arable land and sustaining their livelihood. Inappropriate use of violence and forced evictions without proper rehabilitation and compensation are violations of human rights standards in the Indonesian constitution as well as international human rights law.
End of Emergency line: 14 December 2005
Directions:
Mr. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Kebon Sirih No. 14
Jakarta, Indonesia
Fax: +62 21 3452685
Copies to:
Bridadir General (Police)/KAPOLDA NTB
Brigjen H.M Tosin
Jl. Lengko No. 77
Ampenan NTB
Fax: +62 370 622305
Governor of Nusa Tenggara Barat
Mr. H. Lalu Serinate
Kantor Gubernur NTB
Jl. Pejanggik No. 12, Mataram-NTB
FSPI (Federation of Indonesian Peasant Union)
Jalan Mampang Prapatan XIV No 5 Jakarta Selatan 12790 Jakarta - Indonesia.
Fax +62-21-7993426
Please inform FIAN of any response to your letters, e-mails or faxes!
Mr. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Kebon Sirih No. 14
Jakarta, Indonesia
Fax: +62 21 3452685
Dear Mr. President,
Recently I was informed about a shooting incident which took place on September 18 in Tanah Awuk, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. In the morning of September 18, the local police of Lombok fired into a crowd of more than 700 peasants. Twenty seven persons were wounded, four were hospitalised and six peasants were arrested. Reportedly, one mother suffered miscarriage due to the police violence. The peasants had come together to prepare a week-long series of activities to commemorate Indonesia's National Peasants' Day. There was also an international delegation invited to this meeting. The peasants wanted to discuss with the delegation about how their right to feed themselves is affected by the planned construction of an international airport in a fertile area of Lombok.
Since 1995, the conflict between local municipality leaders and the peasants has led to severe oppression. On August 23rd 2005, 2631 peasants of Tanak Awu were forcibly evicted by the local authorities who were accompanied by the local police to make way for the planned airport. Not only had the peasants never been consulted about the airport construction before, they were forcibly evicted without proper rehabilitation and compensation from 850 hectares of arable land which they had been cultivating. Food production is crucial in West Nusa Tenggara, given the high rate of malnourishment in the province.
The inappropriate use of violence and forced evictions are violations of human rights standards in the Indonesian constitution as well as in international human rights law including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I would therefore like to ask you to:
- prevent further forced evictions and the violent oppression of peasants affected by the project;
- reconsider the airport project including the guarantees needed for full land for land rehabilitation and compensation of the affected peasants,
- carry out an investigation into the local and national authorities' responsibility for the incidents mentioned and take the necessary measure against them.
Sincerely Yours,
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