Khairul Saleh, Palembang – Disappointed by a protracted land dispute, thousands of villagers in South Sumatra have reclaimed plantation land managed by state-owned plantation company PTPN VII Cinta Manis.

The residents of Rengas village, Payaraman district, Ogan Ilir regency, placed poles along the disputed land and planted pineapple and rubber trees on the land on Saturday.

Similarly, residents in neighboring Lubuk Bandung and Betung villages also reclaimed land managed by the plantation company.

The dispute over 1,529 hectares of land had triggered a shooting incident recently. Police mobile brigade officers shot protesters, injuring dozens of villagers. Eleven of the residents were treated at hospital for their wounds.

The residents' efforts to reclaim their land was supported by several NGOs, including the Palembang Legal Aid Institute (LBH), the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), the Indonesian Farmers Union and the Agrarian Reform Consortium.

Muhammad Firli of the Ogan Ilir Farmers Union said the Regas villagers' actions were aimed at taking over the land, which had been controlled by the plantation company for 27 years.

"The residents are ready to face any violent consequences resulting from this act," Firli said in Palembang on Saturday.

Palembang LBH executive director Eti Gustina added the act aimed to increase the residents' bargaining power as they had not been able to access their land for decades. "This seizure is the right option at this time," he said.

Meanwhile, South Sumatra Walhi executive director Anwar Sadat said the NGOs supported the action, and hoped security personnel did not hinder the residents. "Military and police officers should not prevent the villagers from reclaiming their rights to the land," Anwar said.

He said many documents showed the land rightfully belonged to the residents. He added the plantation company was in a legally weak position since it had no land use certificate (HGU) for the land.

Anwar added that South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin had called for the plantation company to return the land.

Plantation spokesman Sonny Soediastanto said the company would not take legal action against the residents, and instead take a persuasive approach involving the government.

"However, we regret that the dispute has spread further afield," Sonny said in reference to the involvement of residents from the neighboring villages.