East Timorese refugees face land dispute

East Timorese refugees face land dispute

By Putu Wirata

SINGARAJA, North Bali (JP): The small and remote village of
Sumberkelampok in Buleleng regency, has emerged as a new
political commodity for several non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) dealing with environmental issues.

Located near the Bali Barat (West Bali) National Park,
Sumberkelampok village presently houses thousands of refugees
from East Timor. They are mostly Balinese transmigrants and
government officials who resided in Indonesia's former 27th
province.

Some NGO officials have accused these people of illegally
acquiring plots of land within the park's protected forest area.

A number of environmental activists, including Made Mangku
from the Secretariat of Environmental Observers and Andris
Sulaiman Manalu from the Bali chapter of the Legal Aid
Foundation's environmental division, believe that their presence
could arouse conflict with local residents.

Sumberkelampok is probably the only village in Bali which has
no administrative status. During the early part of the 20th
century, the village was inhabited by plantation workers employed
by a Dutch company. During the New Order, two plantation
companies -- PT Margarana and PT Darma Jati -- also housed their
workers in the village.

Having been resident in the village for quite a long time,
they built several public facilities including an elementary
school known as SD Inpres.

But, the regional government has never registered and legally
acknowledged it as a "permanent village".

The government, instead, urged the villagers to participate in
a resettlement project outside Bali.

"The accusations lodged by some activists against these
refugees are groundless," claimed Nyoman Mudiyasa, lawyer for the
East Timor refugees.

Nyoman explained that they had been given the right to occupy
plots of land in areas previously owned by PT Margarana.

"These areas are not parts of the protected forest," said
Nyoman adding that a conflict between the residents and the
"outsiders" was unlikely.

"Most of the local villagers have genuinely accepted them,"
the lawyer claimed.

Made Kampiun, the traditional village chief, said they
empathized with and welcomed the refugees.

"They went to East Timor as pioneer transmigrants and also
contributed to the development of that former province," said
Made.

According to Made, the Balinese people and the government
should show empathy for their plight. "They have lost everything
and left behind all their property and belongings in East Timor
because of Habibie (former president B.J. Habibie)'s erroneous
policy," Made commented.

Made added that most people in the village had warmly welcomed
the refugees especially when they realized that the Buleleng
regent had given the green light for Sumberkelampok to be
declared a "permanent village".

"The arrival of these newcomers has given us more hope of
improving the village's administrative status," he said.

Around 760 Balinese families were forced to flee the former
province of East Timor during the referendum campaign in l999.
Clashes between the pro-independence and pro-integration factions
created a chaotic situation and threatened the lives of
"outsiders", including thousands of Balinese families who had
lived there since the l970s.

These dispossessed people then returned to their home towns
with the hope of reconstructing their ruined lives.

When they first arrived back in Bali, the refugees were
dispersed to various places around the island. They tried to
track down their relatives and friends who would still be willing
to lend a hand.

It seemed that both the local government and the people were
reluctant to accept them.

Without conducting any prior checks, Bali's Vice Governor
Gusti Bagus Alit Putra abruptly announced that the provincial
government was unable to find any state properties which could be
used to resettle these refugees.

Accompanied by Bali Governor Dewa Made Beratha and his deputy
Alit Putra, a delegation of Balinese refugees lodged complaints
with the Minister of Transmigration, Minister of Home Affairs and
other high-ranking officials demanding state compensation for
their losses.

"I've left a two-hectare plot of land, a house and a shrine as
well as a flourishing restaurant business," complained Lilir, who
was born in Baturiti, Tabanan. In former East Timor, Lilir along
with Made Sutedja, Nurjana and Wayan Rokana were considered the
most prosperous Balinese farmers.

"It is just a bitter memory for us," added Rokana sadly.

Unable to find a reliable patron, they finally set up a
solidarity forum led by Wayan Sudirta. They were also backed by
several lawyers.

"Alit's statement was a big lie," Wayan Ariawan, one of
lawyers, claimed.

They sought information from several related government
agencies and friends in local NGOs.

"Our friends from various NGOs informed us about
Sumberkelampok," added Ariawan.

For more than eight months, the local government still had not
named Sumberkelampok village as a new resettlement area for the
refugees.

Feeling helpless and angry, the refugees seized the Buleleng
regional office of the Ministry of Transmigration.

Now, there are 127 Balinese refugees from East Timor who are
trying to rebuild their lives in this dry and infertile forested
area, the former property of PT Margarana.

"The climate is so hot and dry. We don't have enough water
sources here except in the rainy season," said Kisid.

Kisid, however, said they were used to such hardships and that
the conditions in East Timor at the time when they first arrived
were even worse than here.

"But, we really could make it. Many of us became successful
farmers. I am sure we can develop this village in the near
future," Kisid said optimistically.