InfoSAWIT, PANGKALPINANG – On Wednesday, 16 August 2023 in Mabalong, District of Belitung was full of demonstration and clash at palm oil plantation company – the subsidiary of Sinar Mas Group, PT Foresta Lestari Dwikarya. Damages, flame, and persecution happened in the clash. As time went by, the legal process was finally taken to investigate the case.
The local police should arrest 11 men that might be the major actors from the clash. They were assumed to damage properties of the company and did anarchy in PT Foresta Lestari Dwikarya in Village of Kembiri, Sub district of Membalong, District of Belitung. The arrest was significant thing to get the truth behind the incident.
One suspect, Martoni told information about the clash. He thought, the damage and fire of the company’s assets hapened for the provocative action that PT Foresta Lestari Dwikarya did. Martoni claimed the company provocated the villagers and responded by anarchy.
“If there is no provocation, we would not do anything. We claim justice for our arrest and this case should be investigated,” Martoni who was field coordinator in the demonstration said, as quoted from Tempo.
But Director of Public Crime Research Directorate Police Department of Bangka Belitung, Komisaris Besar I Nyoman Mertha Dana denied if the company provocated the villagers and ended with anarchy.
Lecturer of Politic Science UIN Raden Fatah Palembang, Eko Bagus Sholihin was sorryfor the demonstration and eventually arrested 11 men around PT Foresta.
Eko thought the action should not be taken as criminal demonstration but should be taken as conflict situation. The villagers were fighting for their rights to get 20% of plasma program (from the company) which is regulated by the laws.
“It means, the action has something to do with the company that violates the legal by not implementing plasma program. I knew that the company operated out of its business rights which also clearly breaks the procedures,” he said as quoted from Bangkapos.
He thought, the clash has something to do with the failure of the government to solve the conflict. Eko hoped the issue should be solved by mediation by the government knowing that the clash happened because the government and company contributed to the fire.
Prior some villagers once asked for the company not to harvest fresh fruit bunch of the company where it was out of business rights. In fact, the company ignored it. The company still harvested and triggered the villagers to get mad at and the fire and car damage happened.
The speculation about the company that trigger the villagers’ anger and anarchy, Eko said it might happen but the provocation could happen if it was from the company or other parties and the factor for the people to fight back. (T2)
