Salman Mardira, Jakarta – The National Strategic Project – or PSN – for a sugarcane plantation in Merauke, South Papua, is suspected of violating the rights of Indigenous peoples and committing human rights (HR) violations. Commission XIII of the House of Representatives has called for the project to be temporarily suspended.
"Customary land is not a commodity; it is the identity and source of life for the people. The state must not allow intimidation and land grabbing disguised as development. Development should humanize people, not displace them," said Deputy Chair of Commission XIII, Andreas Hugo Pareira, on Monday.
Previously, the House received various reports from communities, including the National Human Rights Commission and environmental activist group Greenpeace, alleging human rights violations, intimidation of the Yei Indigenous people, forced evictions, and environmental damage caused by the sugarcane plantation project in Merauke. Andreas expressed deep concern over the situation.
"The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, through Commission XIII, urges the government to halt the activities of the sugarcane plantation in Merauke until there is certainty of protection for the rights of the Yei Indigenous people," he said.
The Yei Indigenous people in Jagebob District, Merauke, strongly oppose the development of the sugarcane plantation on their customary land. They have demanded that the government stop it. However, MNM Company, which holds the plantation concession, continues the development.
MNM Company holds a concession permit covering 52,700 hectares – almost equivalent to the size of Jakarta Province. Currently, the company is building a road from the plantation concession area toward Jagebob XI District, crossing through the Kwipalo clan land.
According to monitoring by the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation, the company has already cleared 4,912 hectares of forest as of August.
Meanwhile, Greenpeace Indonesia argues that the Merauke project seizes Indigenous rights, destroys natural forests, and threatens biodiversity. Greenpeace has also raised concerns over the involvement of the military and police, which it said has instilled fear among local communities and Papuans.
In response, Andreas said the House commission would push the Law and Human Rights Ministry to establish a framework mechanism to protect Indigenous rights in every PSN implementation. This step is considered essential to ensure that national development proceeds fairly, transparently, and in respect of local values.
"If a national strategic project causes human rights problems, then it clearly shows a contradiction between its strategic status and its actual impact of human rights violations in implementation on the ground," he concluded.