North Sumatra farmers lodge protest in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): A group of farmers from North Sumatra who have been locked in a long and often fierce land battle with the local military, called yesterday for the intervention of the House of Representatives.

Eleven people from the Martoba subdistrict in Pematang Siantar mayoralty also asked for the House's protection against intimidation allegedly made by some local military officers.

The 11 villagers said they represented more than 2,000 families who have been fighting against the Pantai Timur Military District Command over the 60-hectare land which they insist rightly belongs to them.

The delegation, led by Elmi Simbolon, met with the House's working team for land conflicts of the Commission II. The members present included Hatta Mustafa, Hasanuddin, Mekka Hayade, Pandapotan Nasution, Tjahyo Kumolo, Palar Batubara, from the Golkar faction, and Ambo Eteng Amin from the Armed Forces faction.

"We want to have our land back or fair compensation," Simbolon told the House members. "We also want protection against intimidation from certain local officers."

She said the dispute went back to 1976 when the military command came and claimed itself the rightful owner of the land. It reached its peak when the military finally moved in to force the residents out.

Simbolon said the people have lived on and tilled the land for several generations, some dating back to 1930 during the Dutch colonial rule.

"We have with us provisional land certificates, issued by the Simalungun regent in 1969," she said, adding that the Simalungun regent was also chairman of the regency's committee for land reform at the time.

Rosmawati Purba, a delegation member, said they had regularly paid the land and property taxes until last November when they were evicted from the land.

House member Hatta Mustafa said the commission would raise the matter with State Minister of Agrarian Affairs/Chairman of the National Land Agency Soni Harsono at the first opportunity.

Ambo Eteng Amin also offered to prepare for a meeting between the delegation and top officials in the Armed Forces in Jakarta. (imn)