S. Sulawesi governor to mediate land dispute

Andi Hajramurni , The Jakarta Post , Takalar | Mon, 10/13/2008 11:39 AM | The Archipelago

South Sulawesi Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo has stepped in to help resolve a land dispute between residents from three districts in Takalar regency, South Sulawesi, and state-run plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) XIV.

The five-month dispute over a sugarcane plantation managed by PTPN XIV escalated after four residents were shot by police Friday.

Syahrul met with South Sulawesi Police deputy chief Brig. Gen. Wisjnu Atmasastro and Wirabuana Military Command chief of staff Brig. Gen. Wibowo in a bid to find a solution for the land dispute.

Also attending the meeting, held at the Takalar sugar mill compound on Saturday evening, were Takalar Regent Ibrahim Rewa, Takalar Legislative Council Speaker Said Pammusu, members of the Takalar branch of the National Land Agency, the PTPN XIV board of directors, and village heads and community leaders from the three districts.

During the meeting, Syahrul said he would take over the dispute and promised to resolve it within three months.

"I will try hard to find the best resolution for this dispute in cooperation with the Takalar regency administration and councilors," he said.

"Please give me three months to sort this out."

The dispute began when hundreds of people from North Polongbangkeng, South Polongbangkeng and Mangarabombang districts claimed PTPN XIV's land lease contract expired in 2005, on the grounds the plantation firm leased the land for 25 years in 1980.

However, the firm claims the 4,500-hectare block of land had been given to the company by the Takalar regency administration based on a right-to-cultivate (HGU) certificate in 1994, which would expire in 2024.

Syahrul said he would tackle the land dispute in three steps: a rescue system, a temporary system and a permanent system.

The rescue system refers to emergency handling, over a cooling-off period of 14 days. During this period, residents have been asked not to stage any more protests, while the plantation firm is required to map the land it manages to clarify the cleared and disputed areas.

The temporary system is a measure to determine the cleared and disputed plots of land. Under this determination, the firm will be allowed to cultivate the cleared land so the sugar mill can continue production. The disputed land will remain as is until there is a final solution brought through the permanent system.

The police have been called on to continue monitoring the location, using diplomatic tactics.

"The final solution or permanent system has to benefit the residents while allowing the Takalar sugar mill to remain operational," Syahrul said.

"The sugar mill should be able to improve the residents' welfare, especially those living near the mill."

Pammusu said that in its 36 years of existence, the sugar mill had not contributed anything to the community.

"The local community should be able to enjoy the benefits because the presence of a state-owned industry is supposed to improve people's lives," he said.

He said the plantation firm should involve local residents through the intensive sugarcane community program (TRI) and employ residents who live within 40 meters of the sugar mill or the sugarcane plantation.

"The residents' demands for the land to be returned is the manifestation of their disappointment because the sugar mill does not contribute anything to them," Pammusu said.

"So it is better to give them the right to cultivate the land through the TRI scheme. Maybe 1,000 hectares would be enough."

Pammusu said implementing the TRI scheme would be much better than letting the dispute continue, which would disrupt the sugar mill operation.

Syahrul said he would gather all related institutions to discuss the suggestion.

Comments (0) | Post comment

A | A | A |