JAKARTA | KBA – A distressing narrative unfolds as the residents of Rempang grapple with a crisis brought about by those in positions of authority, all in the name of the National Strategic Project (NSP).
This dire situation is underscored in an article penned by Ferry Is Mirza DM, published on September 10, 2023, by KBA News.
The NSP, backed by the influential oligarch Tomy Winata, head of the Artha Graha Group and one of the prominent “9 dragons,” casts a long shadow over Rempang. Its implementation threatens to displace the Malay descendants who have called Rempang home for generations.
This extensive coastal area, covering thousands of hectares of pristine land, is earmarked for industrial development. The factories earmarked for construction are affiliated with a prominent Chinese business tycoon, making the situation all the more complex.
In the face of these unfolding events, pressing questions emerge that require the attention of the Jokwi administration.
Ferry Is Mirza DM poses a query: “Why must the NSP lead to the eviction of Rempang’s residents? Wouldn’t it be more fitting for this industrial effort to be incorporated into the National Capital Region (IKN) in East Kalimantan?”
After all, the IKN initiative has already been entrusted to Aguan, owner of the Agung Podomoro Group and another of the influential “9 dragons.”
The plight of Rempang, however, is not an isolated incident. The period from 2009 to 2023 has witnessed over a thousand land clearance cases, resulting in violent confrontations involving residents, government authorities, and the intervention of police and military forces.
Tragically, hundreds of residents have become victims of these conflicts.
Ferry Is Mirza DM points out that these land clearance disputes extend far beyond Rempang, constituting a broader issue. A wealth of documented evidence underscores this fact and is readily accessible through a straightforward internet search.
The essence of true independence, as emphasized by the author, lies in upholding justice and striving for improved lives for citizens while safeguarding their dignity and welfare. This, in turn, entails refraining from reducing citizens to mere pawns in the power play orchestrated by police and military forces, perpetuated by oligarchic interests.
Moreover, independence should vehemently reject any form of collaboration between government institutions and oligarchic entities that regularly impoverish and subjugate citizens whose ancestral rights have been duly recognized by the state.
In essence, independence means defending the rights of citizens against the actions of those in power, ensuring their well-being and dignity always remain paramount.
Independence should never translate into relinquishing citizens’ rights to rulers or government entities to be wielded as tools for advancing the agenda of the oligarchy, even if unilaterally designated as an NSP, or “national strategic project.”
Approvals lacking a foundation in civil justice carry the potential to incite regional discontent against the Central Government, posing a tangible threat to Indonesia’s unity.
The author underscores that investment should never be confused with injustice, anti-prosperity, insecurity, or discomfort for the people. Instead, it should serve as a catalyst for growth, development, and an improved quality of life for all citizens.
The core principle of development should revolve around enhancing the lives of the people rather than subjecting them to improvement under the pretext of progress.
In conclusion, a nation’s development should be a force for uplifting its people, never one that oppresses them in the relentless pursuit of progress. (kba)
