Kebumen landslide a result of lax policy, says NGO

An NGO says the Kebumen local administration’s land policy indirectly contributed to a recent landslide that injured dozens of local residents.

“The locals say the existing land management policy ignores their interests and only benefits several parties, such as the military and several private firms with interests in the region. That was the trigger,” Wahyudi Jafar, a researcher with the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam) said Tuesday.

He said the current land management policy had unfairly allocated land to be used as a military training ground without consulting with the local community.

Wahyudi added that the local government had also granted PT Mitra Niagatama Cemerlang rights to mine the area.