The Dispute Over the Eviction of a State Primary School in Ende for the Merah Putih Village Cooperative
The Chief of Ende Police, Iptu Mahmud Deran, has revealed the origins of the dispute regarding the planned eviction of Wolemoni State Primary School (SDN) in Niowula Village, Detusoko District, Ende, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to facilitate the construction of the Merah Putih Village Cooperative (KDMP). The move has sparked significant anger among local residents.
Mahmud explained that the site was designated by the village head without prior consultation with the school, leading to protests from teachers. “The village head initially pointed to that location without confirming with the school authorities,” Mahmud stated when confirmed on Tuesday (9/6/2026). He noted that although the land is government-owned, proper communication with the school and relevant departments should have been established to avoid such polemics. He added that the Ende Department of Education, Youth, and Sports (PKO) has already requested that the KDMP be built at an alternative location, stating, “The government did not grant permission. They instructed that it should not be at the school site, but elsewhere.”
Footage of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) conducting the eviction at SDN Wolomoni has gone viral on social media. The video shows personnel in full uniform using heavy machinery, such as excavators, to carry out the demolition. The recording captures residents attempting to block the excavator from entering the school grounds, with voices heard shouting at the excavator operator, who was accompanied by a TNI member. Other segments of the video show military personnel preparing to dismantle the school’s roof.
The East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government has addressed the eviction. The Head of the NTT Department of Cooperatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), Linus Lusi, emphasised that the construction of the Merah Putih Village Cooperative must not conflict with the authority of other institutions, particularly at the expense of educational facilities.
“The role of the local government, in this case, the Regent, is to facilitate. If it involves educational facilities that cannot be disturbed, then the Regent is responsible for finding alternative locations for the Merah Putih Village Cooperative gallery, as the ultimate goal is the community’s interest,” Linus asserted during an interview at the NTT Governor’s office on Monday (8/6/2026). Linus maintained that the school must not be evicted for the cooperative’s development and that if a location clashes with educational assets, the local government is obligated to provide an alternative. He urged the Regent of Ende to establish better communication with the community and the school to ensure that educational institutions are not sacrificed.