Oyos Saroso H.N., Bandarlampung – Lampung Governor Sjachroedin Z.P. expressed his concern that the Mesuji case, which reportedly claimed the lives of 30 people, would provide a blow to investment in the province.
"We strongly object if Mesuji is named a place of massacre. I fear that the excessive focus on the Mesuji case will worsen the investment climate in Lampung," Sjachroedin said on Tuesday.
The governor and a number of traditional community groups in Lampung blamed the Megou Pak Customary Institute as a provocateur for disclosing the killing of the 30 people to the House of Reprsentatives' Commission III, which oversees human rights and security.
The killings took place in two different places in Lampung and South Sumatra, both of which coincidentally had the same name of Mesuji.
According to Sjachroedin, the data on the victims was invalid and was causing unrest in Lampung. He added that the Mesuji case in South Sumatra was different from that in Lampung.
"There were two cases in Mesuji, Lampung, which took place at the PT BSMI oil palm plantation and the Register 45 forest in Sungai Buaya, respectively. The case at PT BSMI has been handled by the police while, with regards to the case at Register 45, involving PT Silva Inhutani and local residents, the provincial administration has taken the stern stance of not providing identity cards to those living in the prohibited area," he said.
A Lampung resident who claims to be a traditional leader in Lampung, Sutan Syahrir Oelangan, demanded Maj. Gen. (ret.) Saurip Kadi apologize openly to the people of Lampung for issuing "misleading information".
"As a Lampung resident, I am very disappointed with the misleading information. We demand that those who cited an incorrect number of victims in the Mesuji incident go to the House to verify the information – including the media, which has blown up the story," said Sutan.
A member of the Mesuji Tragedy Victims Advocacy Team Bob Hasan remains firm that there were 30 victims in the incidents in South Sumatra and Lampung. The deaths occurred between 1999 and 2011 in various places, including Ogan Komering Ilir, South Sumatra and Lampung.
According to Hasan, the 30 victims that were reportedly killed in the Mesuji case were an accumulation of victims from several diffferent land dispute cases in Lampung and South Sumatra.
Based on data provided by the victims' advocacy team, seven people were killed in relation to a dispute with PT Sumber Alam Wangi (SWA) employees - Hambali and Ardi (plantation assistants), three security guards and two Sungai Sodong residents, while those killed in the conflict with PT BNIL were Wayan Gama, Nengah Gde, Raum, Ismail, Alam Ratu, Santoso, Salim, Suwarte and Piet.
In the conflict with PT Silva Inhutani at Register 45, Mesuji in Lampung, Made Aste from Pelita Jaya village, Yogian Yakub, Anjani and Sunarti, from Tugu Roda village, and Suratno from Tunggal Jaya village were killed, while in the conflict with PT Sugar Group, Rebo, Sodri, Usin Manan and Damsi were killed; a further three people died after being run over by a tractor.
In the conflict with PT BSMI, Jaelani was killed, while at PT Dipasena, Ruswandi, Slamet Riyanto and Heru (a member of the Police Mobile Brigade) were killed. However, Hasan did not provide details as to when the incidents took place and the names of survivors.
The advocacy coordinator of the Lampung chapter of Walhi (Indonesian Forum for the Environment), Mukri Friatnna, said other conflicts between farmers and oil palm plantation companies in Lampung would be inevitable in the future if the Mesuji case was not thoroughly resolved.
"A major conflict is also currently taking place between the traditional community in Banjar Dewa and Banjar Rejo villages in Ulangbawang regency, and PT Bangun Nusa Indah Lampung. The land dispute between them has been going on since 1990 and several residents have already been killed," said Mukri.
According to Mukri, the number of victims killed in these land disputes is just the tip of the iceberg.