Agus Maryono, Kebumen – Around 2,000 farmers from the South Kebumen Farmers Association (FPPKS) staged a demonstration Thursday in the Urut Sewu area in Kebumen regency, Central Java, demanding the Indonesian Army (TNI) return their land which they claim is being used for military exercises.
"Give back our land. Farmers are not involved in military training. Dismantle the TNI facilities on our people's land," read one of the posters carried by protesters.
The protesters, from nine villages across three different districts in South Kebumen, marched from the regency square to the Kebumen legislative council.
Speaking with Kebumen Regent Nasirrudin and Kebumen regency legislative council Speaker Probo Endarto in a meeting, farmers claimed that since the TNI had occupied their properties, they could no longer cultivate the land. They did not elaborate on other details from the meeting.
"Many residents have also become victims through the military exercises, with some hit by mortar shards around the Urut Sewu area," said Paryono, the coordinator of the protest.
Five children died instantly in 1997 playing with mortar shards, while two farmers were severely injured in 2008 as a result of unexploded mortar shells, he said.
Paryono said the land "inconsiderately grabbed" by the Army stretched 22 kilometers along Bocor Kebumen beach, encompassing a total area of 1,050 hectares. Residents say they hold property certificates proving their legitimate claim to the land.
Paryono said the land claimed by the Army stretched 100m from coastline, beyond the limitations permissible under state land regulations, and even reached a residential area.
Nurhidayat, 43, one of the farmers attending the meeting, demanded all military activities "be temporarily halted until everything is clear".
Setrojenar village lost 2 ha of its area to the Army – the largest area out of all the villages.
In response, speaker Probo said he could not immediately "make decisions and meet the farmers' demands", but said the council would forge a special team to handle the issue that involved "the interest of the TNI nationally".
A representative of the research and development agency of the Kebumen Army, Maj. Kusmayadi, who also attended the meeting, said the Army had used the land since 1953 for weaponry tests, including heavy calibre technology.
"If there were incidents causing casualties, such as fatalities, it would be beyond our calculations," he said. He said he would inform Army chief of staff Gen. Agustadi Sasongko about this issue.