TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government claims there is no land grab in the new capital project in East Kalimantan. Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono said the government sides with the citizens.

"Mr. President (Joko Widodo) instructed to prioritize public interest,” Basuki said on Thursday, June 6. After the previous leader stepped down, he was named Acting Head of the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) Authority.

A similar notion is shared by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno. He said the government does not acknowledge the term land grabbing. “That’s a new term. It’s horrible,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Chair of AMAN of East Kalimantan, Saiduani Nyuk, said that a land grab attempt occurred in Pemaluan District, North Penajam Paser Regency. Some indigenous people left their settlement without being compensated. “The owners of the land surrounding Sabut Pelamuan have no clarity regarding their rights (to the land),” Saiduani said in a press conference on Thursday.

IKN’s land grab attempts have occurred since the authority was led by Bambang Susantono. He stepped down recently along with his deputy Dhony Rahajoe but Saiduani is not confident that the practice would stop with a mere transfer of power.

Saiduani explained that the IKN Authority previously implemented a land bank policy feared to be a front for discrete land grabs from the indigenous communities. Local government was also found requesting Indigenous people for administrative documents in return for land certificates.

These practices occurred despite Bambang and Dhony’s vow not to forcibly evict the locals. "The sudden resignation of IKN Authority leaders could be the government trying to wash their hands off the responsibility over people and their indigenous territories,” Saiduani said.

Thus, Saiduani urged the government to adopt a regulation recognizing the indigenous communities in the Nusantara capital. Moreover, he said, there are no regulations to govern the rights of the communities affected by IKN development yet.

RIRI RAHAYU | IRSYAN HASYIM

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