Ngatini, heroine of humble farmers

Ngatini, heroine of humble farmers

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan

The stereotypical image that all farmers live under constant
oppression, backwardness and the control of the authorities is a
myth. At least that is what Ngatini believes.

It was this conviction that helped the 49-year-old North
Sumatra farmer succeed in her fight to reclaim 55 hectares of her
village's property that had been taken over by private company PT
Small Holder.

The success came after a long and grueling battle on the part
of the villagers of Anggrek in the Ramunia estate, Deli Serdang
regency, North Sumatra, for their rights and their land.

Ngatini's courage and accomplishment caught the attention of
the Geneva-based Women's World Summit Foundation (WWSF), which
honored her with the Women's Creativity prize.

Ngatini, married to Jumiren, 53, and a nursing school dropout
with four children, felt honored to represent Indonesia among the
200 other women selected for this award.

"It was more responsibility to receive this international
award then I had ever dreamed of before," she said.

She attributes her successful battle to the assistance
provided by Yayasan Bitra Indonesia, a foundation focusing on
increasing the awareness of farmers of their political and legal
rights. The foundation was founded in 1991.

As a vocal activist, Ngatini has been jailed several times for
her unflinching struggle to defend villagers' rights.

She repeatedly led demonstrations to the Deli Serdang
legislative council to press demands for the return of the
communal land controlled by PT Small Holder.

In 1994, she went to Jakarta to exert pressure and lobby
public institutions, such as the home affairs ministry, the
agriculture ministry, the House of Representatives and the human
rights commission.

She recalls her experiences while traveling aboard the
passenger ship Kambuna to Jakarta in 1994. Once, when trying to
find her way to the dining room, she lost her way and entered a
passenger cabin. When she was in the bathroom, she turned on the
hot water tap by mistake, being unused to running hot water.

"I got scalded and jumped aside to avoid the hot spray," she
recalls with a laugh.

The Jakarta journey, however, was fruitful. She obtained a
guarantee from the National Human Rights Commission and the
Ministry of Home Affairs, authorizing the Anggrek villagers to
reoccupy their property.

Today, the land is the de facto property of the villagers. The
next battle is for them to obtain the certificates of ownership.

In fact, according to Ngatini, the disputed land covered a
total area of 91 hectares. While the villagers have regained the
55 hectares from PT Small Holder, the other 36 hectares is still
controlled by the cooperative of the Bukit Barisan Military
Command.

The Anggrek farmers were working the land as far back as 1954,
but then the property was seized without compensation by three
private companies -- PT Karya Bumi, PT Gelorata and eventually by
PT Small Holder in 1982.

Ngatini admitted that the struggle had not been entirely
successful, because of the 36 hectares that remained in the hands
of the military cooperative. Ngatini said she suspected some key
figures among the farmers had betrayed the struggle by accepting
bribes from the cooperative.

"I don't mean to name names but it is strange that some people
have abandoned the struggle. What happened?"

With the 55 hectares returned to the village, the land has
been divided evenly among 155 families in Anggrek, with the
remaining plots of land being used for a graveyard, an elementary
school, a mosque and an Islamic school.

Located about 40 kilometers from the North Sumatra capital of
Medan, Anggrek village is a pleasant settlement with a peaceful
atmosphere. The local administration has built various
infrastructure and facilities like irrigation channels, power
stations and public schools.

Ngatini is still active in rural development activities,
serving as the chairperson of a women's farmer group and a
women's cooperation forum. On Aug. 3, 2001, she was elected chief
of a small-scale women's business network.

And don't expect her to quit fighting anytime soon. When asked
to comment on the well-being of farmers in general, Ngatini said
most farmers lived in poverty while businesspeople lived in
luxury at the expense of the farmers.

"The government should pay attention to the plight of farmers,
who have performed great services for this nation," she said.