Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation – Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI) held an exhibition with a themed environment in Menteng, Central Jakarta. The exhibition collaborated with KontraS on August 18-31, 2023. Nine paintings were shown with different designs, such as Ciremai mountain, river stream, trees, and residential areas.
Picture 1 Nine paintings masterpieces from Children of Kandang Macan Reading Park in the “Merdeka” Exhibition (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
They used the Sundanese dialect to deliver their message: “Leuweung rusak manusia balangsak.” – If the forest is destroyed, it means human becomes destitute”. Those paintings were masterpieces from youth and children community around Kandang Macan Reading Park, Kuningan, West Java. It was intended to give space for children to speak about their surroundings.
Picture 2 A masterpiece from Mahiza Maulida Zahra, one of the children from Kandang Macan Reading Park in the “Merdeka” exhibition (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
Other than painting, the exhibition also exhibit poster, sketch, cukil art, etc. All works come from the solidarity of the people who work together to preserve the environment in all regions of Indonesia, from Pancoran (West Java) to Papua. The contradiction with “independent Indonesia” in the past 78 years.
Picture 3 One of the works in the “Merdeka” exhibition at the YLBHI building, Menteng, Central Jakarta (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
The “Merdeka” exhibition?
All Indonesians were supposed to celebrate their independence on August 17. Yet, in the 78-year celebration, some still faced land conflicts and experienced violence by states.
“Community engagement to defend their access to land become more noticeable nowadays” said KontraS in their press release in the “Merdeka” exhibition (Wed, August 16, 2023). They also added that nowadays, the government only stand with corporations to claim, snatch over, and force eviction.
The community did several solidarity and resistance, such as against authorities and speaking in the media, including art exhibition. The presence of arts persuaded people to care about environmental conflicts and join in solidarity. It became a vision of the “Merdeka” Exhibition. They presented art from the community, public discussions, and free workshops.
Land conflicts: The evidence of new colonialism
The “Merdeka” exhibition testified to the pseudo-meaning of independence in the agrarian conflict in Indonesia, mainly because many still experienced threats of land force eviction and land grabs. First example was the agrarian conflict case since the colonialism in Pakel Village, Banyuwangi, East Java. Hold only on “Act 1929”, 3000 people continued to defend their living space and only utilize 3000 hectares for agricultural activities.
Picture 4 Poster of Protests of Pakel Village, Banyuwangi, East Java, in the “Merdeka” Exhibition (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
Until now, Pakel Village still experienced oppression under the Bumi Sari corporation. Some peasants, such as Mulyadi, Suwarno, and Untung, still got discriminated against and were accused of spreading hoax news. Nevertheless, they continued to fight to get their justice.
Picture 5 Poster of Protests of Wadas Village, Banyuwangi, East Java, in the “Merdeka” Exhibition (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
Second, the conflict in Wadas Village, Purworejo, Central Java. Based on the new Central Java governor’s decree in 2020, Wadas Village was appointed as an objective location for land acquisition. They plan to mine andesite and build the National Strategic Project of Bener Dam. They will do blasting to the success of the project. On the contrary, it will create environmental degradation and threaten the existence of Wadas’s people.
On the other hand, Wadas’s people still experienced intimidation. They were forced to agree with land handover to the government. In addition, the government also hired officers to intimidate the Wadas’s community by carrying out forced arrests.
Nevertheless, Wadas’s community did a symbolic protest on January 6, 2023. Around 40 members of Wadon Wadas did winding cloth on trees as a symbol of earth that brings life to a human. The action was called “Wadon Wadas Mangku Bumi Pertiwi”, a Javanese traditional slogan that means a mother is always willing to protect their children.
In the “Merdeka” exhibition, the faces of Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar, human rights activists, were everywhere and became a symbol of freedom of expression. They have been criminalized by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister of maritime and Investment Affairs of Indonesia, for their action to open the facts of Papua’s economic and political situation based on their research in YouTube channel.
Picture 6 Fatia and Haris, Human Rights Activists, in Poster (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
The research was initiated by nine organizations, which are Pusaka Bentara Rakyat, Papuan Legal Aid Foundation, Greenpeace Indonesia, Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, The Indonesia Forum for Living Environment, KontraS, JATAM – Mining Advocacy Network and Trend Asia under #BersihkanIndonesia movement. The research titled “Ekonomi Politik Penempatan Militer di Papua Kasus intan Jaya” – “The case of Intan Jaya, Papua: Economic Political situation in military disposition”. It covered human rights cases that came from business practice in Papua. Many people had to be evacuated from their lands.
The situation raised the question “Where is the independence if the government still silences people who are fighting for their rights?”
Stories of land spoliation: from Pancoran to Bara-Baraya
Land expropriation case was spread from Aceh to Papua; from South Jakarta to Bara-Baraya, Makassar, South Sulawesi.
Picture 7 Poster of Bata-Baraya people’s Fight in Makassar, South Sulawesi, in the “Merdeka” exhibition (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
First, Bara-Baraya Bersatu movement to protect their legal land that was half destroyed by Military District Commander in 2016. They were told that the military would guarantee the safety of people during the Indonesian National Military-Land Forces dormitory eviction process. But, a few days later, several communities living around the dormitory received Memorandum 1.
“Abruptly, they came and issued instruction to evacuate residencies. It made occupant against it” said Rifan during Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation discussion (August 28, 2023). Next, the military continued to eviction for 20 homes around that area and sent warning letters. Bara-Baraya people responded by creating a solidarity movement.
Rifki, a resident of Bara-Baraya, admitted that he was lucky because the community in Bara-Baraya was still solid despite provocations from various groups. Until now, Bara-Baraya was still continuing their struggle to bring their problem to justice.
Picture 8 Cukil art in the “Merdeka” exhibition (August 22, 2023) (doc. Konde.co)
Second, Pancoran Buntu in the Capital city has been experiencing evictions in recent years caused by PT Pertamina. The company said they would use the land for the training Centre.
Febriani Monica, a representative from Pancoran Solidarity Forum, confessed that the conflict had already occurred since around the 1990s. It started from certificate ownership issues. Denly, one of resident also added that the issue of evictions has been going on since 2020. Some of residents didn’t believe in the issue but there are also those who were afraid of the consequences. The issue ended when Pertamina, the Brimob Corps, and Pemuda Pancasila Community Organization came to carry out land measurements.
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Febrina also explained that some offered money to provoke residents to sell their land called “uang kerohiman”. In addition, Febrina and Denly also said that several residents were asked to destroy their own houses.
On March 17, 2021, there was the biggest clash between residents and the Pemuda Pancasila Community Organization that was provoked by an attempt riot to destroy the Early Childhood and Education School. Furthermore, the Brimob Crops also strike community residents with tear gas at different times. Denly also confessed the fear of Pancoran’s residents during that time. Although they have already gone to work, the problem is still unsolved.
The Effort to Raise and Maintain the Spirit of Resistance
Eviction could become a traumatic event for women and children. Community did some resistance to respond to it. In Pancoran Buntu, resident had rejected solidarity from external. But now, they were willing to work in solidarity to against land mafia.
One form of solidarity was public kitchen, street library, and art performance, called “Pancoran Ceria”. The main target was children so they could face their trauma. In Bara-Baraya, South Sulawesi, community made activities such as festivals, discussions, stalls, etc to surpass their trauma.
“Mace-mace (mothers) in Bara-Baraya who initiated it and other inhabitants helped in form of solidarity. Therefore, we will come every Sunday to Bara-Baraya market, which has emerged as an economic initiative from Bara-Baraya” Rifki Said.
The “Merdeka” exhibition unable to cover agrarian conflict in Indonesia, such as eviction in Tamansari and Dago Elos, Bandung. But, the exhibition capable to raise question “Indonesia’s Independence for 78 years, for whom?”
(Translated by Theresia)
