Mataram – Two tribes in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara, have lodged complaints about their rights being abused by the local administration and investors.

The two tribes – Pekasah and Bercu Cek Bocek – had complained to the President and the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), according to Nusantara Customary Communities' Alliance (AMAN).

AMAN secretary-general Abdon Nababan told reporters on Saturday that the Pekasah tribe, which consists of 60 families, had their settlement destroyed by forest rangers assisted by police and soldiers on Dec. 21.

They were accused of illegally clearing land for settlement and illegal logging. As many as 400 families of the Bercu Cek Bocek tribe in Ropang district were reported to have been intimidated by people from other villages into leaving their area, which is part of the PT Newmont mining company exploration site.

"Assisted by the company, they have attempted to evict them from the location," Abdon said during a media conference. He made allegations about the administration's role in rights abuses committed against the two tribes.

Datu Pekasah Edimanto, 35, a Pekasah tribe representative attending the media conference, said that on Dec. 21 last year at 3 p.m., more than 34 people equipped with long-barrel guns broke into their settlement area.

"They wore forest ranger, police and soldier uniforms. They shouted at us to leave the area and began to damage our homes," he said. The "intruders" claimed that the settlement area was part of a protected forest.