KPA Questions Jokowi's Seriousness in Resolving Agrarian Conflicts at PTPN
Translator
Editor
9 January 2023 23:48 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Consortium for Agrarian Reform (KPA) questioned the seriousness of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's government in resolving agrarian conflicts involving state-owned PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN).
KPA general secretary Dewi Kartika said that throughout 2022 the escalation of agrarian conflicts involving PTPN companies has increased. Not just in numbers, but also in terms of treatment, with the KPA saying it has become increasingly repressive, even brutal.
"Throughout eight years of Jokowi's administration, we have questioned his seriousness in resolving agrarian conflicts at PTPN. Is he going to do it, or not?" she said at an event to launch the consortium's Annual Notes of 2022 in Jakarta, Monday, January 9, 2023.
In 2022, KPA recorded 21 agrarian conflicts occurring in eight out of 14 PTPNs in Indonesia. The number of conflicts actually increased in the second period of Jokowi's administration.
From the data KPA processed, in the last eight years, there have been 154 agrarian conflicts with violence. Meanwhile, based on the report of the Agrarian Reform Team of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), there were 223 land cases involving PTPN, which were included as public complaints.
What is more concerning is that the settlements of agrarian conflicts in the PTPN region lacked breakthrough resolution. In fact, institutions such as the National Commission on Human Rights, the Indonesian Ombudsman, and the KPK have given poor reports on PTPN.
Of the 21 agrarian conflicts resulting from PTPN operations this year, 15 people became victims of abuse while 28 people experienced criminalization. "In fact, one person died as a result of an agrarian conflict with PTPN," said Dewi.
Every time there was violence, PTPN, Dewi claimed, always argues that it was saving state assets. The KPA, she added, has made numerous reports on agrarian conflicts related to PTPN to the SOE Ministry and President Joko Widodo.
"But to date, there has been no response or good faith even though the cases have been handled directly by the President and there have been instructions. But it seems that there are still obstacles regarding the release of state assets related to the SOE Minister and the Finance Minister," she said.
MELYNDA DWI PUSPITA
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo in Google News
