Suluk Bongkal Peasants Walked For 300 km To Forge Resistance Against Land Grabbing Companies

Legal roads for justice was blocked for the residents of Suluk Bongkal village, whose houses and properties was attacked and burned down last month by hundreds of police and thugs following years of land dispute with a pulp producing company PT Arara Abadi. On January 17th the Bengkalis State Court rejected their lawsuit against PT Arara. The Human Rights Commission that initially condemned the state apparatus and the company has so far failed in bringing any concrete follow-up. In the meantime, the company with the help of police and thugs had expanded evictions to other villages.

In light of these facts, the Riau Peasant Movement (STR) and SORAK, a coalition of social movement and environmental groups, held several protests to condemn the blatant violation of rule of law by the state institutions and the company. On Wednesday morning (21/1) they started a "long march" from Tarik Serai village and arrived in Riau Province capital, Pekanbaru, on Monday (26/1) - covering the distance of 300 km. The walk is meant to rally the moral of resistance among the peasants, as well as to campaign, in each villages that was passed, for peasants' rights and the resistance against the tyrany of the company and state apparatus. Below is an explanation by STR chairperson, Rinaldi, in an interview with Berdikari Online:

Wednesday, January 21st

Ulfa Ilyas (BO):
We heard that there will be a long march from Tasik Serai Timur village to Pekanbaru, which will cover the distance of 300 km. What is the peasants' reason in taking this action?

Rinaldi (STR):
Yes, actually the correct one is from Tasik Serai village to East Village. We are doing it because we realise that we have to consolidate all of our mass basis that recently become victims of repression by land mafia, land-grabbing companies, and police apparatus. By walking in this distance we will be able to visit each village, to convey our message and tell story about our struggle in village meetings, to every village residents. The culmination will be on this 29 January 2009, which is the 40th days since the attack on Suluk Bongkal village. The point is, we will spread the message from Suluk Bongkal peasants, who are carrying out a resistance against the land-grabbing company, to peasants in other villages that face similar situation.

Ulfa Ilyas (BO):
How many people will take part in this walk? Will there be other organisation involved in it?

Rinaldi (STR):
So the total number of peasants that left this morning were 38 people. Besides us, STR, some organisations involved are Riau Peasants Group, UNRI (Riau Univ.) Nature Loving Students (MAPALA)

BO: How is the technical preparations, for example, logistics, medics, security, etc. Have they been prepared?

Rinaldi (STR):
So we have a team that in every few hours will comb the location that has been passed, as well as report the situation in the field and the condition of the peasants that are taking part in the action. We decided to take rest once every 2 hours, and in each villages there will be kitchen soups. Besides that, we will hold meetings and discussions with residents of every village that we pass.

Ulfa Ilyas (BO):
What are the campaign or issue carried during the walk?

Rinaldi (STR):
So the campaign or issue is to call on the villagers that join or sympathise with us, to save their village from evictions carried out by PT. Arara Abadi. Second, to call on the forest workers of PT Arara Abadi that we will meet in several locations to get involved in the common struggle. Third, to bring awareness to each village of the human rights violation committed by the police. Fourth, to press the government to solve the agrarian conflict and to defend the peasants. Fifth, to push that the 75 peasants arrested by the police be freed. Sixth, we are also denouncing the release letter (SP3) issued for 13 companies that are clearly lumber thiefs and land-grabber of people's property. Finally, we will press demand to the national police HQ or the central government to immediately dismiss Riau Police Chief.

Ulfa Ilyas (BO):
What is the target to be achieved from this campaign or issues?

Rinaldi (STR):
The target that we want to achieve is to regain the moral of resistance among the peasants, and then to create a broad consolidation that will involve other villages that experience similar problem. The peasants have been in fear after the Suluk Bongkal tragedy, when they were hunted, had to hide in the forest, among other things. With this "long march", the peasants will at least know that STR still exist, STR still faithfully fight with the peasants, and will carry on the struggle. We feel that this is hard, but slowly but sure the victory will be on our side. We also want to open everybody's eyes, not just the peasants', to better comprehend this issue, both through mass media coverage of our action as well as from hearing about our campaign and directly reading our flyers, pamphletes, among others.

As well known, the long march will be a big burden, will demand a multitude physical preparation, but we are convinced that after this there will be a wave of support from many elements of the society to the peasants and STR.

Ulfa Ilyas (BO):
STR campaign this time, reminds me of the Zapatistas 2006 campaign; the walk from Chiapas to Mexico City while carrying their causes and issues. There was also the chinese peasants 8000 miles long march that took one year. Is STR's walk inspired by the Zapatista, or a decision that STR and Riau peasants made together themselves?

Rinaldi (STR):
To us, those were sources of inspiration for the struggle of the peasants here. But, the peasants in Riau do not have a lofty target, because they (the Zapatistas), if I'm not mistaken, carried out a campaign that went for one year. So, the peasant action here is only intended to rally the moral of struggle among the peasants, and pass on messages among them to forge the struggle and unity among the peasants. STR also call on other peasants to bring themselves together in to organisations of peasant struggle so that they can fight corporate greed and its apparatus (the regional police). We are hopeful that after the action, there will be a wave of collective civil lawsuit to fight against the presence of PT Arara Abadi.

Of course, the success of this campaign will require the support of network and friends from outside; journalists, student activists, popular organisations, NGOs, as well as other parties that sympathise with this struggle.

Ulfa Ilyas (BO) :
How will STR draw support from the people in the villages that it pass, especially to support STR campaign and other peasants?

Rinaldi (STR) :
To draw support, we will hold a series of open discussion, spread flyers, calls. As for flyers, the content of the campaign will be updated once every two days. Our friends in Pekanbaru will write and print flyers, and then send them to us to be distributed. Everytime we will meet with peasants, whether it be on the streets, fields, as well as their houses, we will give them flyers, rally their spirit so that they will remain determined to defend and fight for their rights.

The peasants will also engage in discussion everytime they meet with other peasants. From limited meetings, from coffe stalls, from ear to ear, our message will eventually spread to everyone. From here, we hope that it will raise a common awareness of the importance to unite the struggle against common enemy.

Ulfa Ilyas (BO):
Is STR sure that the method will benefit Suluk Bongkal peasants and win their demands? Or there are other methods carried out in parallel with the walk?

Rinaldi (STR) :
Yes, this is only one among other stages that we call Back in Solid. In this stage, we will comb and solidify peasants that are still determined to fight on. Through the "long march", peasants from many villages will see that STR still exist and is still in the front line of the fight for peasants' rights. This will not only be carried out on STR basis, but also in areas that are not STR basis. Afterwards, after the end of this long march, we will carry out an evaluation, and discuss about the next method of struggle. We would like to point out here that Suluk Bongkal peasants and STR would carry the struggle not only in this way, but in many way, including holding mass protests at the regional police office and Riau governor.

After this, there will be a collective civil lawsuit, from organisations as well as individual peasants that are hurt by the presence of PT Arara Abadi. The point is, after this action there will be a renewed and multiplied spirit from the peasants, to carry on the struggle. The peasants will also better realise that the struggle for their rights require sacrifices and persistence.

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Considering the high need of logistics, the working committee for "300 km walk" asks for some moral as well as material support from anyone who sympathises with the peasants. Those who want to support the struggle of Riau peasants can do so by calling the information centre at +62-852-788-81387; support in the form of fund can also be transfered directly to the bank account below:

Bank Nasional Indonesia (BNI)
cabang/branch Pasar Pusat Pekanbaru
account number 011 939 8122
An./under the name: Rinaldi

Protest Letter Regarding Suluk Bongkal Incident (2)

Stockholm, December 20, 2008

I hereby express my outrage against the atrocities committed by police
forces in Suluk Bongkal, Riau , Indonesia . On December 18, 2008 a group
farmers were attacked by a large group of police and hired thugs. Gun
shots and teargas were fired against the farmers. Two helicopters were
used in the attack, and there are reports that napalm was used in the
attack.

The farmers of Suluk Bongkal were evicted and made landless in 1997, as
the lands to which legally they inhabited and cultivated were transferred
to the Arara Abadi corporation in a highly corrupt fashion. Since 2007
the farmers, organized in the Riau Peasants Union (STR) have reclaimed
the lands that were stolen from them.

The December 18 attack was one in a series of attempts to break the
resolve of struggle of the Suluk Bongkal peasants. Putri, a 2-year old
child was killed in the attack. 700 houses have been burnt, 200 peasants
have been arrested and another 400 are hiding in the surrounding forests.

The December 18 attack has to be condemned, grave violations of human
rights were committed. The European Union and European governments have
to convey to the Indonesian government that this form of repression and
atrocities cannot be tolerated. Internationally, the support needs to be
mobilized in support of the Riau Peasant Union and the demand for
immediate release of all detainees.

In solidarity,

Jens Holm
Member of the European Parliament
www.jensholm.se/english

Protest Letter Regarding Suluk Bongkal Incident (1)

AUSTRALIAN citizens are being informed about the gross violations of human rights and tremendous human rights abuses that are going on in Indonesia and the connections/support from the discredited US Bush government. It is time to reverse this horrific trend and to no longer support private business interests over the peoples/citizens interests and time to stop environmental damages also caused by private business interests destroying the vital forests of the world, and particularly, of "third world" countries...these forests are vital for the Earths survival...private business will not be able to buy their way or earn billions of dollars from the destruction they have wrought on us all. I call upon you all to not only support but act upon the resolution and claims of the National Students' League for Democracy (EN-LMND) as below....and to act now to bring the state based criminals to justice.

National Executives of the National Students' League for
Democracy (EN-LMND) declared

1. To condemn the Indonesian Police (POLRI) that have committed acts of
violence through the use of napalm to burn down settlements, shot and
arrested hundreds of Bongkal Suluk citizens. We demand that the Police
Chief shows his consistency in fighting thuggery and improves the image
of the Indonesian Police by dismissing, bringing to court and imposing
severe punishment to all his personnel involved in the incident;

2. To demand the national Police Chief to dismiss Riau Regional Police
Chief and bring Alex Mandalika - Riau Police Reskrim - to the Human
Rights Court for leading the act of violence.

3. Freeze PT Arara Abadi activities by cancelling its business permit,
and arresting and bringing to court the company's management; Revoke the
Ministry of Forestry Decision Letter (SK no.743/Kpts- II/1996)

4. Return the entire land that belongs to Suluk Bongkal Citizens'
customary rights; rehabilitate their houses and provide compensation to
all losses of their productive tools and farming lands.

5. Release without any condition 200 detained activists and citizens;

6. Demand that the National Human Right Commission (Komnas HAM)
conducted field investigation on the gross violation of Human Rights
carried out by the Police and PT Arara Abadi;

Democracy and welfare, now!

From concerned Australian citizen
Sanna Andrew