Bagja Hidayat, Jakarta – About a thousand farmers staged a rally at the legislature complex today, demanding the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ad Hoc Committee, particularly MPR's Commission C1 discussing the Bill of Agrarian and Natural Resources Reform, to orient the bill with the interests of farmers at its core.

Four organizations were involved in the rally, including the Alliance of Pasundan Farmers (SPP), the Alliance of Nusantara's Communities (AMAN), the Alliance of Indonesian Farmers (API) and the Indonesian Farmers Federation (FSPI).

During the rally, a member of SPP read out their demands. First, they demanded that the House of Representatives (DPR) revoke the regulations that were inflicting a great loss on farmers. Secondly, that the land taken over by the government and agricultural enterprises be returned to the farmers at least one year after the Bill comes into effect. A third demand was for the President to revoke the licenses for natural resources management on people's land, at least six months after the Bill comes in to effect.

Responding to the rally, six members of Commission C1 met with the people. Aisyah Amini from the United Development Party (PPP) told the demonstrators that the Commission would follow up their demands in the following session. "We will also ask the DPR and the government to follow this up," Aisyah said.

Aisyah added that Commission C1 would focus on the extensive damage to the environment. Agricultural and forestry management would be discussed as well. So, the agrarian and natural resources reform would be discussed hand-in-hand with concerns about the state of the environment.

Regarding demands for reinstatement of lands within one year, Aisyah said the Commission would have to discuss this first. "We have to think this over or the problem will only get worse," she said.