Defensing Their Land, Tanak Awu Farmers Shot and Arrested Again

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Tanak Awu – West Nusa Tenggara, 21st June 2006, about 08.30 (Indonesian Central Time Zone), Local Government officers of Central Lombok came to Tanak Awu village. They did land-measurement and set marking stakes on a land which was still under dispute between Tanak Awu farmers and the party who would develop airport on the land, PT Angkasa Pura II. The Local Government officers were guarded by around 10 trucks of mobile brigadier force and hundreds of police pioneer force. According to local residents, among the squads were 50 persons of civilian militia (Pamswakarsa). One helicopter, one panzer, and one water canon were also seen on the location. From the police helicopter, an announcer- who residents believed was the West Nusa Tenggara Police Chief- called the people not to block the land measuring team. The helicopter landed on the middle of the farming land twice. The presence of policemen has been seen since 17th June until today. They once stayed in the office of the village chief, claiming they were on preparation of National Police anniversary. The activity was announced by the village chief to the villagers through their Mosque on Tuesday (20/6) evening, that there would be a cleaning action by the police. The officials turned out with the land measurement on the disputed land, while the farmers were dealing with flood disaster sparked by heavy rains. Hundreds of hectares of watermelon field were fail to harvest. Among the disaster the farmers were terrorized and attacked. Felt being treated arbitrarily, the farmers defended themselves to protect their field and threw out stones to the police. According to a witness from West Nusa Tenggara Peasant Union (Serta), this action made the police shot tear gas. In this incident one farmer was caught, beaten and shot on sight until he passed out and his right leg bled a pool of blood. National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) contacted by FSPI stated its concern about the incident. It is planned that on Thursday (22/6) Hasballah M. Saad – one of the Komnas HAM commissioner of special group (farmer) – will meet the farmers. Meanwhile, some House of Representative members like Nursyahbani of Awakening Party (PKB) regretted the violence and demanded protection for farmers. Previously, the local government and PT Angkasa Pura II planned to develop airport on 800 hectares covering Tanak Awu village. However, in the progress there were disagreements between the villagers and the government. The government has been trying to put out the residents from the land since 1997. The Tanak Awu farmers had been terrorized and intimidated by several parties. The climax was 18th September 2005 when the police forcefully dismissed a farmers’ general meeting held in Tanak Awu. In the incident the police hit and shot the farmers causing 27 farmers got gunshot injury and 6 knock-injuries. Thereafter the police arrested several farmers and eventually criminalize the farmers. The charges were from defiling until committing unpleasant acts. The farmers requested the police/military to stop the intimidation soon which violated Tanak Awu farmers’ human rights. “We only want to work in peace without being disturbed by policemen and preman (street or undercurrent criminals) who always sweep the village and arrest farmers,” Murana, a Tanak Awu farmer said. Murana’s wish was not unreasonable. In February 2006, national military held “training” in their village. This worried Tanah Awu residents as they felt disturbed with the presence of fully-armed military in their village. Secretary General of FSPI, Henry Saragih believed the government used new order ways to intimidate residents who were reluctant to give up their land. The government arrested the farmer leaders in order to push the villagers to release their farming land. The government also always observed farmer meetings and even brutally dismissed the September meeting. Although there were many victims from the farmers’ side, not a single policeman was legally processed. On the contrary, the police arrested the farmers with charge of committing unpleasant acts. “These kinds of action hurt people’s hearts and violate the human rights. Farmers are already castrated, still their political freedom and their economy, social and culture rights are put aside,” he said.