Following the violent repressions of which the peasants of Tanek Awu, village of the Nusa Tenggara province in the west part of Indonesia, were victims once again on 21st of June, the Consortium for agrarian reform, (KPA), one of the most important trade-unions in Indonesia, organized on the 22nd and 23rd of July a group of resistance. Several rural organizations including the Federation of Indonesian Peasant Unions (FSPI), the Indonesian Peasants Alliance (API) [1], or Petani Mandiri (independent peasants) took part in work in order to see the agrarian reform implemented by the government. This meeting represented a new step in the many actions led by the support groups of peasants and rural workers.

The conflict opposing the peasants of Tanuk Awu and the state company Angkasa Pura II (aeronautical sector) started at the beginning of September 2005 when the government took the decision to build an international airport. This decision led to the expropriation of 850 hectares of cultivated land, habitation and irrigation equipments. However, this political will to develop tourism came up against 2 major elements: the marginal character of tourism in the economy of these regions and the determination of peasants now united and organized. Some 75% of the farmers of this area do not own any titles deed, so they consider badly this so-called “public-interest” project, which will make them lose their lands and income.

Their claims are structured around the affirmation of the fundamental nature of food production and food sovereignty in a region already very affected by hunger and illnesses linked with malnutrition. And this is without taking into account the social spin-offs of the food-producing cultures and peasant agriculture which favour women’s status and role. Ultimately, these peasants are only asking for the implementation of UU law N°5/1960, called UUPA, reference text for the reorganization of the agrarian system in Indonesia which declares that the main control on land, water and sky resources fall within the competence of the State and that they can be used only for people’s prosperity.

The conflicts for land opposing peasants and rural workers with authorities are frequent in this country where the majority of the population lives in rural areas and works in the agricultural sector. According to the figures given by the KPA, some 1800 cases of agrarian conflicts regarding 5 266 418 hectares were registered between 1970 and 2000. 258 022 peasants were victims of these conflicts. The case of peasants from Tanak Awu is not isolated; nevertheless, the mobilisation of the peasants and the organizations which support them was not in vain since it encouraged the Indonesian national Commission on human rights to take up the economic and social issues of the region.

Legislative appeals and lobbying from the streets forced the government to take into account the opinion of all citizens about the amendment process regarding law UUPA of 1960. This year, the National Board for Land Affairs [2] has conducted three public consultations intended to collect the opinions of various groups on the proposal for the amendment of this law. The peasants’ organizations have been working intensively on this initiative, following the example of the KPA which organized last June a second workshop with agrarian legal experts.

FDH

Notes :

[1] API : Indonesian Peasants Alliance

[2] BNP : National Board for Land Affairs