Membangun Peradaban Bersama Rakyat

Foto bersama pasca pertemuan Mentri LHK, Siti Nurbaya dengan Masyarakat Adat Batak, KSPPM dan AMAN Tano Batak.   |   Foto: KSPPM

bitraorid | 13.06.2021 | Parapat

Seven representatives of the Indigenous Community from Tano Batak accompanied by the Study Group on Community Initiative Development (KSPPM) and the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN) Tano Batak held a meeting with the Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK), Siti Nurbaya Bakar at the Khas Hotel, Parapat (13/13). 06/2021). The meeting, which was initiated directly by the Minister of Environment and Forestry, was also attended by echelon I and several directors of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

Minister Siti Nurbaya explained that since 2016 the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has studied various agrarian conflicts that occurred in Lake Toba. “The process of resolving conflicts experienced by indigenous peoples is indeed not easy because it involves many parties, so it must be studied thoroughly, and in this meeting all of us who are here will only listen to the aspirations of indigenous peoples.” The Minister said, Siti.

The meeting with the Minister was due to a problem with the claim of the State Forest Area in the customary area of ​​the community around Lake Toba. Present at the meeting of 23 representatives of indigenous communities who are facing agrarian conflicts that intersect with PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL), some are related to the National Strategic Project (PSN) of Lake Toba Tourism and the Food Estate Program.

At the beginning of the meeting, Delima Silalahi, Director of KSPPM, expressed gratitude to Mrs. Siti Nurbaya and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for providing space for indigenous peoples and civil society to directly convey the problems faced during the last 30 years in Tano Batak related to agrarian conflicts, their impact on indigenous peoples. and environmental damage.

“Since 2016, Ms. Siti Nurbaya and her staff at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry have always responded well to complaints from the Toba indigenous people and have given hope to the community that their customary territory will be freed and will return to the indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, that hope faded when in the field, the conflict never ended, instead it continued to grow from time to time. PT TPL continuously conducts operations in customary areas which causes many conflicts in the concession area, intimidates and criminalizes indigenous peoples.” Obviously Delima.

“We also received a good response from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry with the issuance of the Pandumaan-Sipituhuta Customary Forest Decree at the end of 2020. For that, we also thank Mrs. Siti Nurbaya and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, even though the decree also leaves various polemics which must also be resolved properly,” added Delima.

In line with Delima, Roganda Simanjuntak, Chairman of the Daily Management Board (BPH) of AMAN Tano Batak also expressed his appreciation to Mrs. Siti and hoped that this meeting would find a new formula to resolve the conflict in Tano Batak, at least revoking PT TPL’s concession permit. “The presence of PT TPL caused a lot of conflict and violence in Tano Batak.” he said.

After that, each representative of the Indigenous Peoples (MA) gave a statement, input and explanation to the Minister, such as Natal Simanjuntak as the representative of MA Natumingka explained, “The criminalization case experienced by MA Natumingka in May 2021 caused twelve community members to be injured and the graves of our ancestors were ransacked, and crops were destroyed. We represent the indigenous peoples hoping the company is closed.” Strictly speaking.

Arnold Lumbanbatu, representative of the Supreme Court of Pandumaan-Sipituhuta explained, in 2016 community representatives met with President Joko Widodo and the Minister of Environment and Forestry Mrs. Siti Nurbaya at the State Palace, during the meeting Mr. Jokowi gave a decree for our customary forest reserves by removing them from the concession of PT. TPL covers an area of ​​5,172 hectares. “Pak Jokowi also advised that the function of the frankincense forest should not be changed and this is still being done until now. However, in 2020, the Pandumaan-Sipituhuta Customary Forest Decree was issued for only 2,393 hectares. This causes new problems for the community, because their demands do not match the results received.” He hopes that the Customary Forest Decree that they have received will be reviewed according to the community’s request, because what is not included in the Customary Forest Decree is still incense forest that they are preserving.

Eva Junita Lumban Gaol, representing MA Pargamanan-Bintang Maria also conveyed the existence of PT TPL in their customary area which has caused horizontal conflicts among the community. “Not only that, the existence of a concession in our incense forest also has an impact on the decline of the community’s economic resources because many of our incense trees have been cut down by the company, many plants have been damaged by animals that have lost their place in the destroyed forest.” he said.

In line with Eva Junita Lumban Gaol, Jaspayer Simanjuntak representatives of MA Ompu Bolus and Ompu Ronggur Simanjuntak said, “PT TPL’s presence in our customary area has caused many bad impacts. The existence of the company’s concession in the customary forest has caused pollution to the community’s water sources, not only the Sipahutar community but the Siborong Borong community. In addition, PT TPL also deliberately creates conflict among communities by forming Forest Farmers Groups outside the Ompu Bolus and Ompu Ronggur Simanjuntak indigenous peoples.” he said.

Regarding the criminalization experienced by many indigenous peoples, Manitua Ambarita recounted the negative impact of PT TPL’s presence in their customary territory in Sihaporas. “PT TPL often criminalizes residents, as I have experienced in Sihaporas, as a result of the struggles that we carried out, eventually led to criminalization” Seeing the many problems caused by PT TPL in Tano Batak, Tumpak Manalu representatives of MA Tor Nauli also requested that The Minister immediately revoked PT TPL’s license from Tano Batak.

Not only those in conflict with PT TPL, this meeting was also attended by Ms. Rasmi Sinaga, a representative of MA Sigapiton whose customary area is claimed as a state forest area and will be used as an international tourist destination managed by the Lake Toba Tourism Area Management Authority, or commonly referred to by residents as BODT. .

“The presence of BODT has also caused horizontal conflicts in the community. Most of our customary areas are claimed to be included in state forest areas, so the government in this case BODT arbitrarily builds buildings in their villages without ever involving indigenous peoples. Our land, Bu said, is only 80 hectares which is not forest, while we have 114 families. Many of our children have returned home because of COVID. Where will they be, ma’am? If all our land goes in the forest. Please return our motherland. We do not reject the development of Mrs. But we want our land back.” Sinaga’s official request.

“There are allegations of licensing violations committed by PT TPL in the concession area. Such as the PT TPL concession in Other Use Areas (APL), the former PT TPL new opening in natural forest, and several other findings that we submitted to KLHK. We found out about this after we conducted an investigation and study with Aman Tano Batak and Jikalahari. It’s all against the rules.” said Rocky Pasaribu, KSPPM Study & Advocacy Coordinator,

Responding to what Rocky Pasaribu said, Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar stated that it was against the rules, this was not allowed, and he asked the relevant Director General to immediately follow up on the results of the investigation.

At the end of the meeting, Eva Junita Lumban Gaol, and Manitua Ambarita officially submitted documents containing the Supreme Court’s demands, including, among others, releasing the territory of the Batak indigenous people from state forest claims, PT TPL concession, BPOPDT Management Rights (HPL), and Food Estate Development Area, then to be recognized as belonging to indigenous peoples. Revocation of PT TPL’s Industrial Plantation Forest Management Permit (HPHTI). Reviewing the policy on Provision of Forest Areas for Food Estate Development. And carry out a reforestation program at Pusuk Buhit by planting fruit trees typical of Tano Batak so that they function ecologically and economically.

Minister Siti Nurbaya also reminded her team from KLHK to really pay attention to the absence of horizontal conflicts caused by the presence of other groups that intersect with indigenous peoples. According to him, the ideal ecosystem includes matters of harmonization, cohesion, and the kinship system should not be disturbed. The Minister also apologized for the slow settlement process so that people waited a long time. “The Ministry of Environment and Forestry must work according to applicable legal procedures and involve many parties. However, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has prepared several steps, the first to evaluate all, including the existence of TPL and also others such as the Food Estate. Second, the President and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry are very concerned about preserving natural forests. Third, carry out special handling related to conflict resolution in Toba and Central Kalimantan so that it can be completed quickly and become a model for conflict resolution for other regions. So that in the future KLHK, KSPPM and AMAN need to sit together in synergy to discuss the settlement model that I mentioned earlier”. Thus concluded the Minister. (rel/ade/isw)