Hundreds of farmers gathered at a land area in Laoli Hamlet, Harapan\nVillage, Malili District, Luwu Timur Regency, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday\n(28\/7) to reject the Luwu Timur Regency Government\u2019s plan to clear the\nland for industrial zone development. The action served to affirm the\nresidents\u2019 stance that they will continue to defend the land they have\noccupied and cultivated, even though the government has prepared stages\nfor the clearance.<\/p>\n
In a video received by the media, residents were seen taking turns\nconveying their aspirations through speeches. They believe the clearance\nplan has the potential to disregard the community\u2019s rights to land they\nhave controlled and worked on for a long time, prior to the issuance of\nthe Management Rights Certificate (HPL) belonging to the Luwu Timur\nRegency Government.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are gathered here to defend our rights as citizens. We reject\nforced eviction because we have controlled this land for a long time,\u201d\none resident said in a speech that was met with support from the\ncrowd.<\/p>\n
The situation at the protest site remained conducive. Residents\ngathered at several points while expressing their commitment to stay if\nthe land clearance process is actually carried out.<\/p>\n
The residents\u2019 action took place a day after the Luwu Timur Regency\nGovernment held a technical meeting regarding preparations for the land\nclearance. Previously, an internal letter from the Luwu Timur Regency\nGovernment dated 23 July 2026, signed by Regional Secretary Ramadhan\nPirade, had circulated. In the letter, the government invited the\nmanagement of PT Indonesia Huali Industry Park (IHIP) to a meeting to\nalign perceptions and ensure readiness for the land clearance.<\/p>\n
The letter stated that the clearance would be carried out on land\nthat had undergone the Social Impact Handling (PDSK) process and after\nthe completion of the compensation money deposit mechanism, or\nconsignment, at the Malili District Court. The document also drew\nattention because it requested PT IHIP to bring company security\npersonnel to the preparatory meeting.<\/p>\n
The residents of Laoli have opposed the clearance plan from the\nbeginning. Before the consignment mechanism was processed at the Malili\nDistrict Court, the farmers, through legal counsel from LBH Makassar,\nhad submitted objections and chose not to attend the court\nproceedings.<\/p>\n
They believe the consignment mechanism has not resolved the core\nissue regarding the status of land rights. Residents fear the process\nwill instead become the basis for proceeding with the land\nclearance.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) had\npreviously requested that the Luwu Timur Regency Government postpone the\nclearance until the process of handling community complaints is\ncompleted. Despite the residents\u2019 rejection and the request for\npostponement from Komnas HAM, internal government documents indicate\nthat technical coordination regarding the clearance preparations is\nstill ongoing.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hundreds-of-luwu-timur-farmers-reject-land-clearance-plan-1785307837", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }