Land Conflicts and Palm Oil Looting in Central Kalimantan Continue to Bring Suffering

Looting and claiming palm oil land caused conflict in Central Kalimantan to culminate in the looting of palm oil companies.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Some houses of residents still stand among palm trees in Kotawaringin Timur Regency, Central Kalimantan, on Wednesday (8/5/2024). Dozens of people were arrested by the police on suspicion of stealing palm fruit, most of whom previously lived in those houses.

Oil palm looting in company plantations triggered by mutual land claims has been rampant in Central Kalimantan in the last month. Some of the alleged perpetrators were arrested. However, there are still residents hiding in the forest. It's not happiness, it's all just suffering.

Margaretha Maria's (49) heart and mind are still unsettled. The arrival of new people coming in and out of her residence in Penyang Village, Telawang Sub-district, East Kotawaringin Regency, is one of the reasons.

On Wednesday (8/5/2024), he chose to sit in the corner of his relative, Aur's (49), wooden-walled and cement-floored house. It is about 300 kilometers from Palangka Raya, the capital of Central Kalimantan.

In that house, their mouth is more often shut. Instead, their eyes are more active in observing their surroundings. Anyone who passes in front of them is scrutinized from head to toe.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Margaretha Maria (49), a resident of Penyang whose relatives were arrested by police for allegedly stealing palm oil and bringing it into their house on Wednesday (8/5/2024). Land conflicts have led to the arrest of residents in Kotawaingin Timur, Central Kalimantan.

After sitting with Kompas for some time, he started to talk while collecting memories of the incident on Friday (26/4/2024) night.

"The incident started when Aur returned from Sampit. "He asked all the doors to be locked," said Margaretha, starting her story.

Not knowing why all the doors had to be locked, Margaretha got an answer several hours later. When she was almost asleep because it was already past midnight, she heard the sound of a car's tires screeching in front of the house.

Curious, he pulled back the curtain. There was a car. Inside, there were eight people. He did not know any of them. Anxiety began to haunt him.

"Do not run ..."

Her concern peaked when several people got out of a car, approached her house, and banged on the front door. Margaretha panicked. She grabbed her bag. She intended to leave through the back door.

However, his efforts failed. When he opened the door, there were already two big men waiting for him. So shocked, Margaretha almost fell.

"Do not run. Just go inside," said one of the men.

Without much talk, Margaretha closed the door and locked it. The wooden door did not have a door handle. The door lock was only a piece of wood that supported it with the frame.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

A pickup truck which is suspected to be evidence in a palm fruit theft case in front of the East Kotawaringin Police Station office in Central Kalimantan on Thursday (9/5/2024).

When Margaretha was about to move away from the door, the two men banged and pushed her. As a result, the wooden key broke.

Since that devastating night, not only Aur's family left Margaretha. Sebabi residents, located about 40 km from Penyang, also evacuated their homes. Many houses were left empty. The remaining residents locked their homes tightly and covered their windows with wooden bars.

Heats up

Mulyono (40), a resident of Sebabi who was met on a village road, stated that dozens, possibly hundreds of people, are wandering around. They are afraid and have fled into the forest after several residents were arrested.

"Some were arrested while sleeping, some were eating at a food stall," he said.

Zuledi, the Secretary of Sebabi Village, revealed that he did not know exactly how many people were arrested when interviewed. He added that there was no prior notification before the arrests were made. Notification in the form of a letter of arrest was given after the arrest to each local neighborhood representative.

Also read: Conflict Escalates in Central Kalimantan, Palm Oil Looters Arrested and Officials Attacked

"There was indeed a notification, but it went straight to the RT," he said.

Zuledi is not exactly sure of the cause. However, he is convinced that everything is triggered by theft of oil palm fruit and land claims between residents and companies.

In the last month, the conflict between the oil palm plantation company and the community in West Kotawaringin and East Kotawaringin has escalated. The conflict escalated when it was followed by widespread looting of the company's palm fruit.

DOKUMENTASI POLDA KALTENG

Four attackers at the Pangkalan Banteng Police, West Kotawarinign, were arrested by the West Kotawaringin Police, Saturday (4/5/2024). They did not accept that their relatives had been arrested.

The authorities' response to catching citizens involved in looting is aggravating an unworkable situation. One example is the attack in the West Kotawaringin Police Sector by citizens who did not accept that their relatives were arrested.

Assistant I of the East Kotawaringin District Secretariat, Rihel, explained that the arrested residents claimed that the land used to belong to the company (Musim Mas Group). A 400-hectare plot of land has already been sold to another party.

"The land had already been sold, the ownership had been transferred, and now it is being claimed again by residents. Originally, it was managed by a company (Musim Mas Group). They were the ones who planted on it, but because it was sold to someone else without the right to use it (HGU/license),” said Rihel.

Rihel and other officials mediated in 2023 for residents in conflict with the companies PT Sukajadi Sawit Mekar (SSM) and PT Maju Aneka Sawit (MAS), which are subsidiaries of the Musim Mas Group. At that time, they conducted field verification, but did not find a suitable solution.

Not a thief

Unilateral land transactions have angered residents. They have protested several times, but to no response. The issue has been ongoing since the company entered the area 26 years ago.

In the last two years, residents have begun to demand their rights. They built huts on land they believed belonged to their ancestors.

Also read: The Phenomenon of Palm Oil Looting in Central Kalimantan is Not Just a Crime

Kompas searched the huts. To get to the huts built by residents, there is only one road. The road must go through the PT SSM gate, to be precise on the right side of the Causei Village KM 56 intersection.

Upon entering the gate guarded by security, a booth is immediately visible at the first turn. However, on Thursday afternoon, several individuals with two sedan cars were present at the location. They dismantled the booth.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Remnants of a resident's hut claiming their land in the midst of a palm oil plantation, in Sebabi Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan, Wednesday (8/5/2024).

Similar shacks are also scattered a few kilometers from the aforementioned gate. Some of them have already been demolished, while some are still standing, but without tarpaulins.

There are still makeshift wooden shelters with cooking equipment, mattresses, tarps, and thermoses arranged around the area. That is where residents have launched their occupation of the land that they claim as their own.

There, residents harvest palm fruits that were planted by a company decades ago. This action has been happening for at least two years. However, only now has it been taken action upon.

The residents who lived in the cottage were arrested by the police. Some who have not been arrested have now fled to a number of places.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

The atmosphere of Sebabi Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan, on Wednesday (8/5/2024). The village is now deserted because many people have left the village as some of them were arrested by the police.

Kompas met two residents who had fled. One of them is KIL (42).

That night, in a place quite far from Sebabi Village, KIL donned a black jacket. He went out quietly in the night, then told his story. He was reluctant to appear during the day, so he could monitor everything from afar.

"We are not thieves, why were we arrested? "Those who stole our land, how come, weren't even arrested," said KIL.

We are not thieves, those who took our land are the real thieves.

KIL stated that he only deals with companies. The company came directly and opened the land without his knowledge. When he asked the company for responsibility, KIL only received an answer that the land had been sold. He even saw the name of the land buyer with the initials MS.

"Bring MS here so I can see his face. This person is not a Kalimantan native, yet he suddenly has the ability to buy my land," said KIL.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

Remains of makeshift homes belonging to residents who claim the land in the middle of a palm oil plantation, in Sebabi Village, East Kotawaringin Regency, Central Kalimantan, Wednesday (8/5/2024). Dozens of people were arrested by the police for allegedly stealing palm fruit, while hundreds of others fled their homes for fear of being caught.

In the past two years, KIL has joined other residents in building huts and harvesting palm fruit on their land. "We have run out of ways to solve this problem, our land has run out and we can't farm or manage it. So, whatever grows on our land, it belongs to us," said KIL.

A similar situation was also expressed by LNK (59) in his hut, which is located tens of kilometers from Sebabi Village. LNK has even been stealing palm oil from the company for more than a decade because he is upset that his land, which is almost 150 hectares in size, is claimed by the company.

"We are not thieves, those who took our land are the real thieves," said LNK.

Conflict resolution team

On Wednesday (8/5/2024), Kompas visited the PT MAS office and met with the General Manager of Musim Mas Group Regional Central Kalimantan Rusli Salim. Rusli alias A Tong explained that the land claimed by the residents was not part of PT MAS or PT SSM.

”(It belongs) privately. They are also the ones who planted it. The origin of the land isAPL (other use areas) not forest areas, right, that's nice. "So people sell, yes, they buy," said A Tong.

A Tong did not explain further. The man in his 70s hurriedly left. He was going to attend an invitation from the local prosecutor's office.

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

The incumbent pair of regent and deputy regent of East Kotawaringin, Halikinnor and Irawati (center-right), re-registered at the PDI-P DPC East Kotawaringin on Thursday (9/5/2024). Halikinnor revealed that there are still many unfinished tasks at hand.

In response to that, the Regent of East Kotawaringin, Halikinnor, revealed that what happened in Sebabi and its surroundings is not a dispute. The company that has been operating for decades has already fulfilled its legal requirements.

"At the moment, we are forming a Social Conflict Resolution Team (TKS). Regarding demands for plasma, we acknowledge that 40% of them have not been implemented yet, but there are those who have already carried them out," revealed Halikinnor.

Halikinnor added that there are currently several plasma-related issues being handled by the district and provincial governments. "Plasma has indeed been a recent topic of discussion, and this (including social conflicts) will be our priority," said Halikinnor, who plans to run again as the East Kotawaringin Regent in the 2024 regional elections.

Dozens of years have passed, yet the issue of disputed palm oil plantation land is far from being resolved. If left unchecked, more and more people in the surrounding areas will only reap suffering.

Also read: Conflict between residents and palm oil plantations in East Kotawaringin becomes Halikinnor-Irawati's "homework"