Mobs get own back in land rows<\/p>\n
By Pandaya<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A gang of 200 men descended out of the scenic
\nCibodas hills of West Java in the middle of the dark night of
\nJuly 20. Armed with knives and hoes, they fell upon the golf
\ncourse, chopped down trees, dug up the land and raised banners
\nproclaiming their \"victory\".<\/p>\n
Officials on duty in the clubhouse fled in panic and police
\nofficers guarding the main gate to the course looked at each
\nother in despair as they realized the expected raid on the course
\nhad taken place right under their noses.<\/p>\n
The \"invaders\" were student-led farmers intent on regaining
\nland developed into the 33-hectare golf course in Cimacan
\nvillage, about two hours drive southeast of here. They claimed
\nthe land which PT Bandung Asri Mulya coercively acquired in
\ncollaboration with the local government in 1987 still rightfully
\nbelonged to them.<\/p>\n
\"They offered only Rp 30 per square meter in compensation.
\nIsn't that ridiculous?\" said farmer Pardi. \"Government officials
\nhave always sided with capitalists.\"<\/p>\n
Local officials, claiming that the disputed land belonged to
\nthe state, leased the site to the firm for 30 years for Rp 90
\nmillion. Civil servants who happened to own part of the land were
\nreportedly threatened with dismissal if they did not surrender
\ntheir titles.<\/p>\n
Negotiations held under the scorching sun on July 21 between
\nthe frustrated farmers and nervous government and military
\nofficials led nowhere.<\/p>\n
The officials suggested the farmers ask the Supreme Court to
\nreexamine the case. In the late 1980s the same court ruled in
\nfavor of the company.<\/p>\n
However, the farmers ignored this advice and instead demanded
\nthe company relinquish the property there and then.<\/p>\n
The snubbed officials were then jeered off the scene while the
\nfarmers continued filling man-made lagoons with sand and planting
\nvegetables.<\/p>\n
Golf course employees watching the events unfold expressed
\nfears that their company's Rp 8 million daily turnover from
\ncatering for wealthy sportsmen would become a thing of the past.<\/p>\n
The raid on the Cibodas golf course was only the latest in a
\ngrowing trend of land seizures by local people who claim they
\nwere coerced into surrendering their property for unreasonably
\nsmall compensation, or with no compensation at all.<\/p>\n
Observers say coercive tactics were commonplace during the
\nrepressive Soeharto administration. The former president fell
\nfrom grace on May 21 and has since been haunted by allegations of
\nwidespread corruption, collusion and nepotism.<\/p>\n
The first such crime which received publicity was a case last
\nmonth in which a mob occupied land in West Jakarta which they
\nthought belonged to Soeharto. They claimed the land was acquired
\nwithout due compensation being paid.<\/p>\n
The same thing is now happening to Soeharto's famous Tri-S
\nTapos ranch, which would have been unthinkable during his time in
\npower. The occupation was started by farmers from Cibedug village
\nwho claimed Soeharto plundered their ancestral land in the early
\n1970s to develop the 750-hectare cattle breeding ranch.<\/p>\n
Fears abound that other properties belonging to Soeharto, his
\nrelatives and cronies are in imminent danger of being plundered.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, people have dug up a golf course belonging to a
\nfirm controlled by property tycoon Ciputra.<\/p>\n
In all cases, security officers have proved impotent in the
\nface of the mob actions, although top government officials have
\nwarned of stern action against looters.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice Muladi has urged stern but measured action
\nagainst looters because a proliferation of mob banditry would
\nearn Indonesia a reputation as an unsafe country.<\/p>\n
However the Armed Forces, battling to restore its tarnished
\nreputation, has conspicuously avoided taking harsh measures to
\nstop the mobs.<\/p>\n
Under mounting public pressure to take stern action, Police
\nChief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi has issued a shoot-on-sight order, but
\nonly for looters who \"endanger officers' lives.\"<\/p>\n
One observer believes that mob land seizures are a logical
\nconsequence of the reforms which society is vigorously pursuing.
\nThey are purging symbols of the authoritarian government under
\nwhich they suffered in silence for 32 years.<\/p>\n
\"Although nobody in their right mind would justify land
\nplundering, it is understandable why peasants have resorted to
\nit,\" said lawyer Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan, who handled major land
\ndisputes while he worked for the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute.<\/p>\n
\"In land disputes, the court almost always decides in favor of
\nthe government or business interests because the law has become a
\ntool of the bureaucracy.\"<\/p>\n
Pangaribuan believed the problem could be overcome if the
\nspeed of reform was accelerated and the nation lead by a
\ndemocratically elected government.<\/p>\n
Satjipto Rahardjo, a professor of law at Diponegoro University
\nin Semarang, speculated that the rising incidence of looting and
\nmob land seizures was simply the oppressed expressing their
\neuphoria following the end of Soeharto's authoritarian rule.<\/p>\n
\"Now that people are enjoying unprecedented freedom of
\nexpression, many think they can do anything without fear of
\nprosecution,\" he said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
People are still frustrated by the lack of social justice
\nduring the Soeharto government and they are now seeking to
\nredress the balance.<\/p>\n
Escalating lawlessness has damaged the nation's reputation of
\nbeing a religious and tolerant society and religious leaders fear
\nthe crippling economic crisis is tempting people into violating
\nthe basic tenets of their religions to survive.<\/p>\n
\"The crisis has weakened people's commitment to religion,\"
\nsaid Hussein Umar, a Moslem preacher and legislator.<\/p>\n
Wayan Suarjaya, a Hindu leader, said senior religious figures
\nand the security authorities should work hand in hand to prevent
\nthe country from descending into anarchy.<\/p>\n
\"At a time like this, when the majority of people have been
\ndeprived of their basic needs, it is not easy to persuade them to
\nspurn the temptation to get things for free by breaking the laws
\nof their religions and their state,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mobs-get-own-back-in-land-rows-1447893297",
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