#NoLandNoLife PANAP alarmed over killings of Indonesian land rights advocates

NAFSO is a member of the Campaign of #No Land No Life# which was initiated by PANAP membership in September, 2014. We all decided to launch a campaign based on the land research launched across the 5 Asian countries last year. Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the main countries engaged the research and also the followed by campaign. Now the situation has become serious as our Indonesian counterpart organization member killed. The report below shows the depth of the story of Land Grabbing in Asian countries.

 

PENANG, Malaysia – Regional advocacy group PAN Asia Pacific (PANAP) today expressed grave alarm on the continuing spate of human rights atrocities against land rights advocates in Indonesia as it called on authorities to promptly make accountable those involved in the recent murder of a farmer and environmental activist in the province of Jambi.

 

Indra Pelani, a 22-year old member of the Tebo Farmers Union (SPT), was murdered by the security force of PT. Wirakarya Sakti (WKS), a subsidiary of Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) last 27 February 2015, based on reports reaching PANAP. PT. Wirakarya Sakti is an industrial plantation forest business firm that supplies pulp and paper to manufacturers in Jambi province and has been involved in land conflicts with local farmers, including members of the SPT. A lone witness said that Pelani was beaten up by security units of the PT. Wirakarya Sakti and was found dead a day after the incident.

 

“The brazen violation of human rights such as the politically motivated killing of Pelani and similar cases of murder and other atrocities against land rights activists are intended to silence and pacify those who oppose corporate control over agriculture and land and resource grabbing in Indonesia,” said PANAP Executive Director Sarojeni Rengam.

 

Over the years, many have shed blood in the struggle against corporate takeover of land and resources in Indonesia such as the case of the 9 December massacre in Paniai, West Papua, Rengam noted. (See article here)

 

PANAP emphasized that the rising cases of human rights violation against land rights activists in rural communities in Indonesia is not far from the state of rural people in Asia Pacific. Rural communities are heavily militarized not only to protect foreign and local investors but also to pacify dissent and silence the opposition by the people. 

 

“We again strongly urge the Indonesian government to probe the murder of Pelani and of other anti-land grabbing advocates and bring those responsible to answer for their crimes. The reign of terror and impunity must stop,” Rengam said.

 

PANAP and its network of farmers, farm workers, indigenous people, fisherfolk, rural women and land reform supporters and activists in the region are launching the “No Land, No Life!” campaign soon. The campaign aims to highlight land and resource grabbing as a form of human rights violation. ###