Djoko Tjiptono/BI & LM, Jakarta – Thousands of peasants from West Java have converged on the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) office and then the parliament complex in Central Jakarta today. They demanded the government revise agrarian laws and regulations which they say exploit the vast majority of Indonesians who make their living from the agrarian sector.

The protesters originate from the townships of Tasikmalaya, Garut and Ciamis and were gathered under the auspices of a group calling itself the Sundanese Peasant's Union. They traveled by bus and assembled in front of the National Development Planning Board (Bappenas) office today, at around 10.20am. Bappenas officials received representatives of the rally.

From Bappenas, the demonstrators marched to the parliament building and (if all goes well) the representatives will also meet with Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tosari Widjaya. A list of demands will be handed to Tosari in which the protesters call on the parliament to resolve ongoing land disputes and defend peasant's rights, both landowners and landless laborers.

Union Leader, Agustina, hopes that the political transformation underway in Indonesia at the moment will bring some judicious changes in the agrarian sector.

He emphasised the significant contribution of the agrarian sector during tough times and claimed that this was achieved despite the odds. Agustina explained that most productive lands and fields have been controlled and owned by private companies. While the company reaps the benefits and profits, the peasants working the land survive despite living below the poverty in the vast majority of cases.

Agustina claims that his organisation has the support of 400,000 union members all wishing to see the Peoples' Consultative Assembly legislate to protect peasant's rights and those whose livelihoods depend on the land. He has called for the people to be prioritised in the redistribution of the state owned land controlled by private companies.