Crops bulldozed in simmering land dispute
BOGOR (JP): About 20 Gunung Batu villagers from the Bojongkoneng area visited the local residency administration office on Thursday, protesting the irresponsible action of a developer in a land dispute dating back six years.
In the latest confrontation, employees of PT Light Istrumenindo bulldozed their crops of cassava, bananas and corn on Wednesday, the villagers claimed.
The party, representing 56 families, vowed to reclaim the property soon.
"This is the reform era," one of them said.
Their lawyer, MH. Sinaga from the Ampera Legal Aid Institution, urged the West Java authorities to immediately revoke licenses issued to the company because it had illegally occupied the plots. Sinaga also urged compensation for the destroyed crops.
Villagers said they had yet to calculate the losses.
The disputed 35-hectare area is part of the 450-hectare plot earmarked for development by Istrumenindo under a permit issued by the West Java governor in 1990.
The disagreement with the developer, the locals said, began two years later when Instrumenindo, backed by security officers, suddenly cleared the site to develop its Bukit Pelangi Resort and Golf project.
"At that time, we were offered compensation worth Rp 60 per square meter for our land, which we immediately rejected," said another senior resident, who asked for anonymity.
"The price of a cigarette was more expensive than their offering price."
At the time, none of the villagers dared to protest the developer's action due to the presence of military personnel, he added.
"But the current reform era gave us the courage to plant crops on our former land two months ago."
According to a female resident, the site was left vacant by the developer after 1992.
About a week before Wednesday's bulldozing, the developer offered the villagers compensation for their crops, the first resident said.
She said she could not remember the amount.
"We have decided not to accept the developer's offer. We'll occupy the land again, which was taken over from us by force in 1992," said a man who claimed to have a one-hectare plot.
Residents admitted they had no legal documents for the land.
"This land was formerly a tea plantation owned by the Dutch colonial government. Our ancestors plantation workers," one said.
When the Dutch, "the villagers, including my father, planted some crops in the area for a living," he added.
Local residents believed it was better to use the land than leave it idle.
Sinaga said the developer bulldozed the crop without first discussing the plan with residents or providing adequate compensation.
"This case is a ticking time bomb which could explode anytime."
Sinaga did not discuss why the villagers felt they were entitled to replant on the land without informing PT Light Istrumenindo.
No executives of the developer could be reached for comment.
In response to the villagers' request, acting head of the residency office, Thamrin Adipura, promised to convey their demands to West Java Governor Nuriana. (24/bsr)