Press Release for publication Friday, March 14, 2025 From Merauke, PSN-Affected Communities Reject Land and Living Space Grabbing

 Merauke, March 14, 2025: Voices of rejection and resistance against various problematic National Strategic Projects (PSN) echoed from Merauke, South Papua, the easternmost province of Indonesia that is being targeted by rice field and sugar cane plantation projects inherited from the government of President Joko Widodo, and now continued by President Prabowo Subianto. This declaration was called by indigenous peoples and the people, who are victims and are fighting against the arbitrariness of the PSN program and various other destructive projects.

"We demand a total cessation of National Strategic Projects and other projects in the name of national interests that clearly sacrifice the people. The perpetrators of state-corporate crimes are required to return all stolen people's wealth and immediately restore the health and living space of the people in all areas that were sacrificed in the name of national interests," read an excerpt from the declaration read by people's representatives at a meeting in Merauke, South Papua (14/3).

The declaration was the result of the "Merauke Solidarity Consolidation" meeting which took place on March 11-14, 2025 in Merauke City. Over four days, more than 250 indigenous peoples and local communities affected by the PSN, as well as various civil society organizations, gathered to share stories of corporate state crimes and military and police violence as a collective experience.

The residents who attended were people affected by the food estate projects in North Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, Keerom - Papua, Merauke and Mappi, South Papua; the Rempang Eco City project in the Riau Islands; the National Capital City (IKN) project in East Kalimantan; the Poco Leok geothermal project in East Nusa Tenggara; the Energy Plantation Forest and bioenergy extractive industry in Jambi; various PSN projects in Fakfak and Bintuni Bay, West Papua, and the expansion of oil palm plantations throughout Papua. 

The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), Atnike Sigiro, who was present at the declaration, said that throughout 2020-2023, his institution received at least 114 cases of complaints related to PSN which were strongly suspected of violating human rights in various forms. He said that Komnas HAM had also submitted a number of recommendations to the relevant ministries and institutions. 

"In reality, Komnas HAM recommendations are not always followed, but it is very important to make recommendations. Because if not, we do not continue what the public complains to the government or to the responsible party," said Atnike Sigiro, after the declaration. 

On the other hand, Atnike continued, as Komnas HAM, her institution needs to apologize to the public if it is considered not fast in producing recommendations. Because, she said, the cases that are reported are often more related to policy, not law enforcement.

Also present on the occasion was Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mugiyanto Sipin who chose not to debate what was conveyed by the participants. "I will not debate what was conveyed by you and your friends. I will wrap up what was conveyed as our input, because it is indeed our responsibility to bring it to Jakarta and coordinate with the relevant ministries/institutions regarding the PSN," he said, facing the rain of protests from the consolidation participants. 

Coordinator of Merauke Solidarity, Franky Samperante said, this declaration is the beginning to fight against the destruction of people's lives and living space. "Our next task is to enlarge the Merauke Solidarity movement and continue to reject and fight the PSN and other projects in the name of national interests that clearly sacrifice the people, then urge perpetrators of state and corporate crimes to return and restore the people's living space in all regions that have been sacrificed in the name of national interests, which in reality only benefit a handful of people," said Franky. 

Since the issuance of Presidential Decree Number 3 of 2016 concerning the acceleration of PSN development, instead of bringing prosperity to the people, this project has actually triggered a myriad of problems. Especially for indigenous peoples who have inherited rights and control over land and forests that are a source of livelihood. The problems that have arisen due to the PSN project are now being continued by Prabowo, who recently set 77 PSNs. Although a number of Jokowi-era projects have been crossed off the PSN list, the threat of land grabbing and living space and violations of community rights have not immediately disappeared.

The report of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) stated that the PSN was not human rights friendly and caused various forms of human rights violations. The characteristics of the PSN which wanted to be implemented quickly had robbed the people of their basic rights, especially the right to land as a human right. The PSN has also violated many norms and provisions of laws, resulting in obstruction and human rights violations, both in terms of process and substance. 

The implementation of the PSN, the report stated, was carried out without the involvement of the people who better understand their needs and areas. In the end, this triggered the eruption of agrarian conflicts. The repressive approach in the conflicted PSN areas continues to add to the record of human rights violations in Indonesia. The environmental permit and AMDAL mechanisms, which should be instruments for environmental control, are not running properly. 

Based on the End of Year Notes of the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA), it was recorded that from 2020-2024, at least 103 thousand women had lost their livelihoods due to land grabbing in the name of the PSN. Damage to water sources, loss of food sources, such as sago, vegetables growing in the forest, fish and various sources of protein in rivers and the sea, force women to buy food ingredients so that household expenses continue to increase.

Contact Person: Pusaka Bentala Rakyat +62 812-9500-0221