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Call for police, KPK to investigate land dispute
Hundreds of farmers in Karawang, West Java, who lost their land to PT Sumber Air Mas Pratama (SAMP) urged the National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate allegations of bribery surrounding the issuance of a court ruling that granted SAMP rights over the disputed land
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undreds of farmers in Karawang, West Java, who lost their land to PT Sumber Air Mas Pratama (SAMP) urged the National Police and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate allegations of bribery surrounding the issuance of a court ruling that granted SAMP rights over the disputed land.
In 2007, the Karawang District Court granted SAMP, a subsidiary of developer PT Agung Podomoro Land, rights over 67 hectares of from the total 350 ha of agricultural land located in Teluk Jambe.
On June 24, representatives from the district court evicted 48 farmers from the land with the help of 7,000 members of the police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob).
The hundreds of farmers that resisted the expulsion were assaulted by Brimob personnel and had to be treated at hospital.
Karawang Farmers Association (Sepetak) head Hilal Tamami said that there were irregularities during the farmers' removal.
'For example, during the eviction, the district court representatives did not even know where the land allegedly owned by SAMP started and ended. They ended up claiming all 350 hectares of land,' Hilal told The Jakarta Post recently.
Hilal said that he was certain that bribery was involved and that 'the KPK should investigate this case'.
The area had been a source of income for 420 farmers.
'The farmers rightly own this land. The National Police and the KPK must take action,' he said.
Christian University of Indonesia (UKI) law student Darmendra said that he and a few of his friends helped the farmers file a police report on June 30.
'We filed a report to the National Police on June 30 against SAMP and Agung Podomoro Land for persecution and vandalism. However, the police have yet to take action,' Darmendra told the Post recently.
He added that the evicted farmers had legally owned the land.
'The 420 farmers owned land certificates and paid land taxes. They own the land but they were forced to leave. Where is the justice?' Darmendra said.
Until Friday, he said, the area was being guarded by dozens of Brimob personnel and thugs.
'If the National Police does not take action soon, [Capital law students] will protest. We will help the farmers voices be heard,' Darmendra said.
Earlier this week, the KPK arrested Karawang Regent Ade Swara and his wife, local lawmaker Nurlatifah for allegedly extorting executives from PT Tatar Kertabumi, another subsidiary of Agung Podomoro Land, in return for issuing a permit to build a mall on disputed land in Karawang.
The KPK alleged that Ade, a Gerindra Party member, asked his wife, also a Gerindra member, to demand around Rp 5 billion (US$423.639) in cash from Tatar Kertabumi for his services in issuing the permit.
Hilal said that the similar practices had also implicated other state officials, adding that most of the land takeovers took place using force against local farmers.
Meanwhile, representatives from Agung Podomoro Land could not be reached for comment. (dwa)
