The new road in Labuan Bajo, Flores island, was built for the ASEAN Summit scheduled in Indonesia in May without paying compensation to villagers whose houses and lands were evicted for the development project. (Photo supplied)
March 17 2023
An Indonesian Church advocacy group has urged President Joko Widodo to pay compensation to people affected by road construction work undertaken in preparation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
Father Simon Suban Tukan, chairman of Divine Word’s Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, said the government did not pay attention to the plight of those evicted for the road project in Labuan Bajo, the western tip of Flores Island.
The 25-kilometer road stretch having a width of 23 meters was inaugurated by Widodo on March 14. It leads to the special economic zone in Golo Mori, some 25 kilometers to the south of the tourist town, Labuan Bajo which will host the ASEAN Summit in May.
“The good road to Golo Mori has sacrificed the rights of the residents whose homes and land were taken away without compensation,” Father Tukan told UCA News.
He said the residents “were crying when they saw the president passing by in a luxurious car” on that road.
At least 51 families from the villages of Cambi, Nalis, and Kenari, most of whom were farmers, were evicted while 23 houses, 14,050 square meters of yards, 1,790 square meters of rice fields, and 1,080 square meters of fields were taken away.
The families were living in tents for months with little hope of building new homes or practicing agriculture as the road project had damaged the irrigation system.
Father Tukan said they had raised these issues during a meeting with the local government officials, but received no response.
Viktor Frumentius, a resident of Cumbi village, said he had been living in a tent after being evicted last year.
He did not receive compensation but managed to build a small house on 120 square meters of land that was left over from the evictions.
“I spent more than 30,000,000 rupiah to build my new house. Not everything is finished, but it can be occupied,” he said.
Yohanes Gampur, head of the Komodo sub-district, said the villagers must sacrifice their lands for the development of the city.
“It’s their turn now” to give up land for public interest, he told local media Floresa.co.
However, Father Tukan said compensation provisions were regulated by the law and they will be filing a lawsuit if the officials continue to ignore the rights of evicted people.
“We hope the president does not want residents to become victims of the development he is undertaking,” the priest said.
Doni Parera, a local activist said the inauguration of the new road was equivalent to “celebrating the state’s violation of a 2022 law and 2021 government regulation” that stipulates compensation for land acquisition for public purposes. – UCA News
