The Truth and Justice Forum in Sambirejo or Forum Peduli Kebenaran dan Keadilan Sambirejo (FPKKS) under Sunarji’s leadership conveyed their wished to Sragen District Administrator Sigit Pamungkas during a discussion at Sragen District Administrator’s Residence on Friday (24/9). The meeting provided opportunity for people from Sambirejo to express their demand with regards to the land occupied and managed by the PTPN. The activity started at around 08.00 a.m. involving 150 people. They included members of FPKKS and other community groups, people accompanying the community, and government and security officials.
A representative of the National Agrarian Authority or Badan Pertanahan Nasional (BPN) was also present in the meeting. There were also Military and Police officials at the location to secure the venue.
In the discussion, people asked the government of Sragen to conduct an oversight of the land return process which they argued was theirs. The people also asked the PTPN to leave and clean the land they had occupied.
That statement showed people’s determination to obtain clarity on the land at issue. For them, the land was not simply an administratively-controlled space, but was critical to the life and livelihood of people in Sambirejo.
Sigit said that the district government had sent a letter to the national government with regards to the issue. It explained that the land status at issue belonged to the community, despite its management by another party.
There was no certainty with regards to when the land would be returned. The district government still waited for the process and policies at national level.
Sigit also explained that the district government had limited authority with regards to land issue and Right-to-Manage. That authority rested with the national government, hence the solution to the land return issue in Sambirejo could not be decided by the district government.
That explanation did not fully address people’s demand for a speedy land return. The community hoped that the district government not only expressed its intention to conduct an oversight of the land return, but also to take concrete action(s) to make it a reality.
The people argued that the presence of PTPN on their land had to be addressed asap as the Right-to-Manage had expired. They expected that when the Right-to-Manage had expired, land would return to the community as per regulation.
People wished to clear the land on their own if the PTPN did not want to leave the land voluntarily - which showed how the situation had become so intense. The people expected that the PTPN left soon.
On the other hand, the district government promised to have an oversight of the process through communication and coordination with the national government.
The meeting did not offer any clarity as to when the land would return to the community. Yet, the meeting gave people space to express the agrarian issue which they had fought for so long until the district government took direct notice of it.
For the people in Sambirejo, district government oversight was critical because decision with regards to the land status and management remained with the authority of national government. Now they were waiting for the next step to address the situation so that the case would not simply stop at the discussion stage, but moved forwards to clarity and final solution. (Renny/Ast)
