Statement

 

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.

Jakarta, February 23, 2018
Best Regard and Solidarity
 
National Executive Committee of the Alliance of the Movement of Agrarian Reform (PP-AGRA)
 RAHMAT
Chairperson                                                   
MOHAMAD ALI