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VANGUARD - Expressing the viewpoint of the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
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Solidarity with Indonesian peasant activists!

The following statement by the Alliance of the Movement of Agrarian Reform (AGRA) highlights the repression of activists in the struggle for land reform in Indonesia. The CPA (M-L) stands in solidarity with the Indonesian people.

AGRA Strongly Condemns the Illegal Arrest of Comrade Ayub, Chairperson of the Olak-Olak Village Branch of AGRA, West Kalimantan

National Executive Committee of AGRA Strongly Condemns the Arrest of Comrade Ayub, Chairperson of the olak-olak village branch of AGRA , in Kubu sub-district, Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan Province.

The Jokowi-JK government continue to intensify violence, criminalization and various forms of human right violations against peasants and the people of Indonesia. Almost in all regions there are land grabbing, eviction of peasants, indigenous people, fisher folks and the wider community in the rural areas as well as evictions of the people in urban poor areas.

Under all kinds of pretext Jokowi’s Administration continues to use its security forces apparatus to suppress the peasant’s and other sectors of people’s movement, to spread fear and terror , to intimidate, to arrest and to criminalize leaders and members of popular organizations.

Recently, an illegal arrest was conducted by the Mempawah Departmental Police, Kubu Raya District, West Kalimantan, against Ayub, Chairperson of Olak-Olak village branch of AGRA, in Kubu Subdistrict, Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan Province.

The arrest of Ayub took place on Tuesday , 22 February 2018, around 00.00 AM at the AGRA office of West Kalimantan Region. Six plainclothes police officers, accompanied by Junaidi, the head of the Neighborhood Association of the Ampera Raya village, Sungai Ambawang District, Kubu Raya, came to the AGRA Office without an arrest warrant and disclosing the purpose of their coming. They directly and by force took Ayub who at that time was sleeping in the room. They did not even introduce themselves and did not explain why and where they would take Ayub.

In the beginning they asked where Wahyu Setiawan was. Wahyu Setiawan is the Chairperson of AGRA in West Kalimantan. But Wahyu was not there.

They asked to come into the AGRA office and immediately opened the front room’s door where they found Ayub who was sleeping, because it was already midnight.

AGRA and Ayub’ families could only confirm that those who took Ayub were Police Officers of Mempawah District. The information was offered by Junaidi when Wahyu went to see him at his home. Junaidi, the head of the Neigbourhood Association also explained that previously, he had been visited twice by the Mempawah Police Officer, but did not explain anything and did not bring any warrant.

At the Departmental Police Station of Mempawah , Wahyu who came with Esti Kristianti, the lawyer of Ayub, was not allowed to meet with Ayub. The police even refused to disclose where Ayub was detained. In fact, Wahyu and the lawyer went to the Police Station to make sure that Ayub was well and to know where he was detained and to provide him legal assistance.

The head of the National Committee of the Alliance of the Movement of Agrarian Reform (AGRA) considers that the arrest by force by the military apparatus was an arbitrary act that violate the applicable legal provisions. The National Committee of AGRA is also well aware that the arrest of Ayub is closely related to the land conflict between the peasants and the Oil Palm Plantation Company , PT. CTB and PT. Sintang Raya that so far has not been solved by the Government.

Throughout the conflict, peasants and local community have been subjects of persistent intimidation, beatings, arrests and criminalization from the companies backed and protected by the security forces and the local authorities. In 2016, the local people were even forced to leave their homes and villages, and then to flee to the other areas for their safety.

Based on these facts, the National Executive Committee of AGRA strongly condemns the arrest by force of comrade Ayub conducted by the police officers of the Departmental Police of Mempawah, West Kalimantan. Moreover, the arrest was made in violation of proper legal procedures.

AGRA also denounces the Government of Kubu Raya Regency, the Governor of West Kalimantan Province and the Jokowi’s Administration who keep on refusing to solve the ongoing conflict between the peasants and the local communities and the PT CTB and PT Sintang Raya.

Furthermore, AGRA also demands:
1. The immediate release of Ayub and the end of criminalization process against Ayub and other farmers who are in conflict with PT. CTB and PT. Sintang Raya.
2. The Jokowi’s Administration, West Kalimantan Governor, Kubu Raya Regent to immediately resolve the conflict between the peasants and the local community and PT. CTB and PT. Sintan Raya and, to immediately return the land of the People

AGRA also calls on all of AGRA members and leaders throughout the regions, to support the demand to release Ayub who is currently arrested and victim of the process of criminalization by the Mempawah Police Officers in violation of proper legal procedures.
AGRA also calls on the networks and other wider communities to continue to strengthen the unity, promote and advance solidarity and resist any attempts of land grabbing and all forms of human rights violation against the peasants and the people of Indonesia.