Farmers eager to reclaim land rights, FSPI claims

JAKARTA (JP): While an estimated 70 percent of Indonesians depend on the agricultural sector for a livelihood, little has been done to ensure the rights of farmers, with complaints of exploitation and abuse of their rights a frequent occurrence.

Despite mounting calls for agrarian reform and revisions to the 1960 Agrarian Law there has been little headway in the legal field on this subject.

The fate of farmers is all the more depressing as indicated by the National Commission on Human Rights' (Komnas HAM) revelation that it had heard of at least 2,000 land cases and farmer-related rights violations since it was established seven years ago.

A four-day gathering of farmers' organizations, activities and Komnas HAM in Cibubur which began on Tuesday tried to take concerted steps to begin correcting the problem by expressing a desire to hammer out guidelines which could help educate farmers about their rights.

"It's currently still too theoretical but we will elaborate during our four-day conference with fellow farmers here," Indonesian Farmers Federation (FSPI) chairman Henry Saragih said.

The gathering also aims to encompass these ideas in a draft resolution to be submitted to the government and House of Representatives as a possible outline for land reform.

"We have a resolution on children's rights, women's rights, laborers' rights. So why not farmers' rights?" Henry said.

He lamented that despite the significant number of Indonesians dependent upon the agricultural sector, farmers' rights remain subject to the interests of the business community.

While little detail was available at the start of the meeting on Tuesday, the resolution is expected to contain a definition of farmers' rights, proposals for agrarian reform, strategies and an agenda to empower farmers' organizations.

"Rights violations during the administration of (former president) Soeharto is not a new issue, but until now there are still too many rights (of farmers) being stepped on by greedy businessmen," Henry said.

Even as he spoke, Henry remarked, violations continued.

"I just also received a report that dozens of Madurese farmers were arrested and beaten by local police in a dispute with a local salt company."

One victim of alleged abuses of power was brought to the attention of the meeting when a farmer named Rais from Banten claimed that he had only recently been released from two years in jail.

"I was just trying to get back my land which has been claimed by the Perum Perhutani. Really, I have all the certificates and documents to prove it's my property," he said.

Henry remarked that such cases were too numerous to mention.

Komnas HAM executive HS Dillon, who also attended the meeting on Tuesday, supported the idea of producing such a resolution.

Dillon noted that despite Komnas HAM's benevolent intentions, farmers could not rely solely on it to air their grievances.

"The government rarely consults us and our reports or recommendations go unheeded," he said.

"With the planned resolution, at least the elite will see that they (farmers) exist and are speaking up."

Without being specific, Dillon proposed a revision the 1960 Agrarian Law and an account of the farmers' perspective.

The conference is due to be closed by Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri on Friday. (emf)