The Kodam IX\/Udayana military command has denied allegations that its\nsoldiers forcibly evicted SDN Wolomoni elementary school in Niowula\nVillage, Detusoko District, Ende Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to\nmake way for the construction of a Kopdes Merah Putih (KDMP) village\ncooperative. Commander of Korem 161\/Wira Sakti Kupang, Brigadier General\nHendro Cahyono, clarified that no eviction took place. \u2018It is not an\neviction, that has been confirmed by the village chief in Ende.\nApologies, I am currently in a helicopter from Labuan Bajo,\u2019 Hendro said\nbriefly when contacted via WhatsApp call on Tuesday (9\/6\/2026).<\/p>\n
Head of Public Information for Kodam Udayana, Colonel Inf Amrizal\nNasution, further emphasised there was no intimidation or forced\neviction against the school or residents. \u2018There was no intimidation,\nphysical violence, or attempted forced eviction by TNI personnel against\nthe community or educational facilities at the location,\u2019 Amrizal\nstressed when contacted by detikBali on the same day. Amrizal explained\nthe incident began when an excavator was being mobilised to the Kopdes\nMerah Putih construction site on community-donated land located behind\nthe SDN Neowula area.<\/p>\n
Due to the narrow village access road and the position of the\nschool\u2019s canopy support pillars along the machinery\u2019s route, a technical\nadjustment became necessary. \u2018Based on field observation results and\nverification with various related parties, the incident originated from\na technical obstacle during the mobilisation of heavy equipment to the\nKDKMP construction site situated on community-donated land behind the\nSDN Neowula area,\u2019 he stated. \u2018It was previously coordinated with the\nVillage Head and the school committee, aiming for the heavy equipment to\npass without causing damage to the main school building.\u2019 He added that\nthe technical adjustment involved cutting a portion of a support pillar\nlocated in the heavy equipment access area.<\/p>\n
Similar accounts were provided by Neowula Village Head, Vinsensius\nPapa. The local Babinsa, Sergeant Hermin, was present at the location to\nprovide security and act as a mediator to de-escalate tensions. All work\nactivities have been temporarily halted to maintain a conducive\nsituation, and the military command confirmed that the previously\ndamaged school pillar has been repaired. \u2018The excavated area has also\nbeen tidied up and the heavy equipment has been removed from the\nlocation to avoid potential further misunderstandings,\u2019 he added. The\nvideo showing TNI members at SDN Wolomoni during the heavy equipment\noperation went viral on social media, triggering narratives that the\nschool was being demolished for the Kopdes Merah Putih development.<\/p>\n
Head of the Cooperatives and SMEs Office for NTT, Linus Lusi,\nstressed that the construction of Kopdes Merah Putih must not sacrifice\neducational facilities. \u2018The task of the regional government, in this\ncase the regent, is to facilitate. If it is an educational facility that\ncannot be disturbed, then the regent is tasked with finding other\nlocations for the establishment of the Kopdes Merah Putih gallery, after\nall, it is ultimately for the benefit of the community,\u2019 Linus stated\nduring an interview at the NTT Governor\u2019s Office on Monday\n(8\/6\/2026).<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tni-denies-evicting-ende-school-for-village-cooperative-construction-1781049097", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }