Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – Thousands of people from traditional communities in North Sumatra rallied at the governor's office in Medan on Monday, demanding the return of customary land seized by officials and businessmen.
The protester came from two regencies and two municipalities affiliated with the Indonesian People's Guardian Struggle Board (BPRPI).
Based on BPRPI data, a large swathe of the 250,000 hectares of customary land located in Langkat and Deli Serdang regencies and Binjai and Medan municipalities, have been converted to plantations and residences after being seized and sold by corrupt state officials and businessmen.
Traditional communities in the four regions who claim to be the rightful owners of the customary land now only dominate around 1,000 hectares of the total of 10,000 hectares handed over by then North Sumatra Governor E.W.P. Tambunan in 1980.
North Sumatra BPRPI leader Harun Nuh said the customary land area in North Sumatra was now almost non-existent, as it had been seized and sold by fraudulent officials and businessmen. According to him, the customary land seized and sold had been converted into plantations and industrial and residential areas.
He added that those who had struggled to retain the land had become victims of greed among corrupt officials and businessmen.
Harun said officials and businessmen had often used violence to control the customary land, such as mobilizing security personnel and thugs. He added violence had taken place for quite a long time and was still taking place now.
"Based on accounts, dozens of people have been hurt over the past 20 years and one was shot and killed by a stray police bullet," Harun said on the sidelines of the rally on Monday.
The rally, in which some of the protesters wore traditional garb, took place under tight police security.
Harun said the violence was still being experienced by residents, such as that taking place in Sei Secanggang, Pantai Gemi and Kuala Begumit in Langkat regency and Kelambir V, Tanjung Gusta in Deli Serdang regency.
"Those living in customary land areas have been threatened to leave the area immediately, despite the fact that the land they are staying in is still customary land rightly entitled to them," said Harun.
Harun added that the state had handed over a total of 10,000 hectares of customary land during the tenure of former governor Tambunan in 1980. The status of the land has been legally strengthened through court rulings up to the Supreme Court.
However, he said, a large part of the customary land currently owned by the residents was still dominated by the government and businessmen.