Four Madurese farmers return to seek justice<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Four farmers from the island of Madura returned
\nto Jakarta yesterday to demand that the authorities bring to
\njustice those responsible for the death of their four colleagues
\nduring a land conflict in September last year.<\/p>\n
The farmers, who said they represent thousands of their
\ncolleagues in the Sampang regency, met with members of the
\nNational Commission on Human Rights, asking that they push the
\ngovernment to reopen the case.<\/p>\n
Junaidi, P. Hudhori, Zaini and M. Makruf met with Baharuddin
\nLopa, the commission's secretary general, and members Bambang W.
\nSoeharto and Clementino Dos Reis Amaral.<\/p>\n
They said that they have been haunted once again by the
\nnational land agency to measure the land in the area although the
\ngovernment has not yet resolved the case that lead to the death
\nof their friends.<\/p>\n
\"We want the incident settled and those guilty brought to
\ntrial. Only after that will we agree to discuss further deals
\nconcerning our land,\" said Makruf in his thick Madura dialect.<\/p>\n
Three men and a woman were killed in September during a
\ndemonstration which ensued when a government team visited their
\nvillage to measure the land which was being acquired for a huge
\nreservoir. According to one version, troopers accompanying the
\nteam opened fire on the demonstrators.<\/p>\n
The incident caused a major uproar, forcing the military and
\nthe local government to remove some of the top officials in
\nMadura. To date, no one however, has been brought to court.<\/p>\n
The farmers yesterday asked the Commission to persuade the
\ngovernment to prosecute those responsible and halt any attempt to
\nacquire the land until the matter is fully resolved in court.<\/p>\n
They also asked Commission members to visit Sampang and talk
\nwith the local people and put a stop to practices of
\nintimidation.<\/p>\n
Chance<\/p>\n
Responding to the appeal, Lopa asked the people of Sampang to
\ngive the government a chance to investigate the incident, while
\nallowing land measurements to proceed at the same time.<\/p>\n
\"This is what I call making good use of time... When people
\ncome to the Commission, they can't always get what they want
\nbecause this is not a courtroom. At the Commission we don't have
\nwinners or losers, instead we create a bridge which brings the
\ntwo sides together,\" Lopa explained.<\/p>\n
Lopa suggested that the people give two or three years for the
\ngovernment to prosecute those responsible for the killings.<\/p>\n
\"If there's no verdict by then, the people can sue the
\nofficials,\" he said, adding that as a guarantee, the government
\ncould agree to hold off construction of any development projects
\nuntil a verdict is reached.<\/p>\n
Lopa said the commission \"seriously considered\" the Nipah case
\nand planned to visit the area sometime in the future.<\/p>\n
However, he said, the Commission would also like to see the
\nMadura people, the local government officials and religious
\nleaders come together.<\/p>\n
He asked the people not to be easily provoked \"because no one
\nbenefits from it\".<\/p>\n
Zaini said that although he considered Lopa's suggestions
\n\"very good\", the group could not immediately agree on them until
\nthey had the approval of their people in Sampang.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Lopa's request that the villagers get together
\nwith the government, Zaini said, \"That is exactly our problem and
\nit is why we are here.\"<\/p>\n
\"The government has never made an attempt to approach us ...
\nEven the measurements on our lands were made without consulting
\nus. We have always given in to them,\" he pointed out.<\/p>\n
The group said Lopa -- who until the end of the meeting was
\nunable to settle on a date for his visit to East Java -- could
\nhave the people's response to his requests when he visited them.
\n(pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/four-madurese-farmers-return-to-seek-justice-1447893297",
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