Riri Rahayu, Novali Panji Nugroho, Jakarta – People residing in the Nusantara Capital City or IKN area in Penajam Paser Utara (PPU), East Kalimantan, are set to stage a demonstration today, September 18, 2024. This marks their third protest in response to unresolved land disputes.
Yusuf Ibrahim, Coordinator of the PPU Community Solidarity Movement, announced that the rally will take place at the PPU Regent's Office and the National Land Agency Office. He anticipated between 500 and 1,000 residents to participate, beginning at 9:00 a.m. WITA (Central Indonesian Time).
"Our primary demands are the rejection of land use rights (HGU) and building use rights (HGB) for the community. We seek ownership certificates (SHM)," Ibrahim said in an interview with Tempo on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
Additionally, residents are demanding recommendations for land ownership certainty for those affected by the IKN construction, including toll projects. Ibrahim explained that the lack of such recommendations has hindered compensation payments, despite generations of land ownership by residents.
"We are demanding compensation for the land of residents who have been evicted," he emphasized.
Danis Sumadilaga, Head of the IKN Development Implementation Task Force, stated that the government will pay compensation for IKN project-affected land to residents upon completion of all land acquisition stages.
"All stages of the land acquisition process are regulated in the regulations, including land status, compensation value, and so on," Danis told Tempo via a messaging application on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
Previous demonstrations by residents in the IKN area on May 22 and 28 focused on similar demands, such as land certification and the rejection of land use rights (HGU) takeover by the Land Bank.
Fathur Roziqin, Executive Director of Walhi East Kalimantan, attributed these protests to the government's haphazard and unilateral policies implemented since the commencement of IKN construction.