Rizal Maslan/Lyndal Meehan, Jakarta – Around 100 members of the Megamendung community of Bogor, West Java, held a noisy demonstration at the parliament complex today demanding the government return around 600 hectares of land seized by former President Suharto thirty years ago.
The demonstration was organised by a little known group called "Indonesian Peasants' Solidarity" and took the security officers at the parliament by surprise. The demonstrators entered from the rear of the parliament grounds and headed straight for the Nusantara V building.
They were eventually received by Panda Nababan of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) headed by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri. They cited three Business Utility Right (HUG) decrees issued by Suharto thirty years ago which granted a total of 582.6778 hectares to various businesses owned or associated to Suharto and his step brother, Probosutedjo. HGU IIII No.71 1971 covered 242.7554 hectares, HGU I No.69 1969 covered 144.009 and HGU II No.70 covered 195.7215 hectares.
In addition, an unknown number of other Business Utility Rights (HGU) as well as Forest Concession Rights (HPH) had been handed over to the family and a plethora of cronies for their private business enterprises. Claiming that they had been "colonised" by the Suharto family and cronies, the demonstrators demanded a thorough investigation into the procurement of the exclusive rights to the use of the land. The group also demanded the government issue a new decree to revitalise the existing Agrarian Law which supported the rights of original owners over land obtained through corrupt or questionable practices.
Although the Megamendung area is essentially a collection of village communities on the outskirts of greater Jakarta, in Bogor, West Java, the group were well organised, determined to be heard and came replete with various colourful posters, among them: "Plantations Walk All Over The People", "Withdraw HGU and HPH Which Steal The Peoples' Land", "The Peoples' Representatives Break Their Promises" and "Stop the Arrest and Shootings Of The People".