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resident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has appointed Law and Human Rights Deputy Minister Denny Indrayana to lead a joint fact-finding team to investigate the alleged Mesuji mass killings.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said on Friday that the team would comprise representatives from his office, the law and forestry ministries, the National Police, Lampung and South Sumatra administrations and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) chairman Ifdhal Kasim.

Denny said the fact-finding team would focus on investigating the problem and who was involved.

“Team 8 [comprising of eight members] will work for two weeks because Komnas HAM has the initial data,” he said.

At least 32 people have been killed since 2008 as part of alleged brutal violence between Mesuji villagers and oil palm companies.

Ifdhal said he would get to the bottom of the problem. “We will seek the root of the case and come up with a solution.”

National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo promised that his force would not take sides in handling the case. “We support the investigation, as I am involved in the team.”

Djoko called on the public to be cautious in dealing with the case.

“We have two Mesujis: in South Sumatra and in Lampung where the conflicts occurred. We have to be careful with the video, it captured three episodes. One in 2010, one at the beginning of 2011 and one in November 2011,” he said.

Deputy head of the House of Representatives’ Commission III on legal affairs and laws, human rights and security, Aziz Syamsuddin, said some members of his commission would also visit Mesuji to verify the alleged killings.

“We need to hear direct explanations from local leaders, including members of regional legislative councils, local police leaders and officials of local land agencies.”

A Mesuji farmers group called on Komnas HAM and the government to immediately solve the ongoing land disputes in both provinces.

“We demand that police not support PT Silva Inhutani palm oil company [one of three companies allegedly involved in the disputes]. We demand that the Forestry Ministry revoke the firm’s license,” said farmer representative Syahrul Sidin.

The other two companies allegedly involved were PT Sumber Wangi Alam (SWA) and PT Barat Selatan Makmur Investindo (BSMI).

Silva spokesman Ahmad Safari denied the mass killing allegations, saying “only one person was killed while another was shot in the leg”.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) executive director, Berry Nahdian Forqan, said the disputes could be partly blamed on the state for the issuance of overlapping regulations.

“The core problem of corporation-related human rights violations is that laws encourage this activity. Such laws have also encouraged law enforcers to abuse their authority by taking the side of the company instead of the people,” he said.

Hendri Saragih, chairman of the Indonesia Farmers Association (SPI), said Article 20 of the 2004 Law on Plantations was problematic as it allowed corporations to team up with legal enforcers and locals in securing palm oil plantations.

According to YLBHI and Sawit Watch, there were more than 3,600 cases of violations in 2010. (drs/msa)

Oyos Saroso contributes to the story from Lampung