TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ombudsman is investigating a case involving state-owned gas and oil company Pertamina in West Java. The company allegedly took over residents' land for its Bandung-Cilacap III (BC III) pipeline project in Cintaratu Village, Lakbok District, Ciamis.

The Ombudsman team directly inspected the location of the ongoing project and requested information from several related parties, such as the Lakbok Sectoral Police Chief and the District Military Commander (Danramil).

Yeka Hendra Fatika, a member of the Ombudsman, said that the team would call in Pertamina on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. "The Ombudsman is examining this problem clearly. So we ask all parties to create a safe situation. We are looking for common grounds because not every issue must be through a legal process," Yeka said in a written statement on Tuesday, October 12, 2021.

The investigation was carried out following a report from a civil group named Paguyuban Warga Berdampak Pertamina (PWBP) who felt aggrieved over the pipeline project. Residents demanded compensation for losses due to the project, including contaminated water following the pipe explosion in 2019.

According to PWBP Chairman Suyono, Pertamina had also taken over land owned by residents and never involved residents in the licensing process (SHGB) either formally or informally. "Since the beginning, they just promised to grant compensation, but until the construction project is only 600 meters left, the distribution has not been realized yet," Suyono said.

CAESAR AKBAR