Case Documentation: Land Reclaiming Experience of Indonesian Farmers

Adapted from the video documentary version of the book

Land reclaiming is an inseparable part of the agrarian reform movement in Indonesia that the state has regarded an illegal act until now. It arose because of the failure of agrarian reform implementation in the country since it became independent. Most often, the peasants who reclaim the land are accused of being plunderers, destroyers of company assets, and robbers of others’ properties. In the end, they are arrested and charged with criminal law based on the above mentioned accusations.

The peasants in Pasir Randu, Cianjur Regency, West Java Province have struggled to reclaim the lands that are actually entitled to them. After a long and difficult experience of meeting their daily needs and struggling to reclaim their rights to land and natural resources, Pasir Randu peasants can hope for a better life now that they own the land.

Pasir Randu is a 290-hectare property reclaimed by peasants starting 1997, when the PTPN company failed to fulfill the requirements of the right of commercial use over the land.

With the help of Bina Desa, the peasants of Pasir Randu formed a local peasant organization which has 521 members at present in order to fight for their right over the land.

The Central National Land Agency said that the asset is already proposed to the Cianjur Land Agency, but the latter cannot follow up the proposal before it is released by the Minister of Finance.

PTPN Pasir Nangka has promised not to disturb the peasants who are now tilling the land until a solution has been found.

The local government has said that it will process the proposal, but there has been no proof until now.

The only written response that the peasants got is from from the Cianjur Local Government and the National Land Agency who said that they are ready to solve the land dispute in Cianjur District, particularly the confrontation between PTPN and Perhutani.

History of Pasir Randu

Pasir Randu is located in Pagelaran Sub-District, South of Cianjur. The area comprises of Mekarsari Vilage and Gelar Anyar Vilage. Topographically, it is situated on 510-610 meters above the sea level. The temperature ranges from 16-33 degrees Centigrade and the rainfall is 2,500 to 3,000 millimeters per year.

In the beginning, Pasir Randu was a land that the villagers worked on. It is shown by the land’s name such as Rancamoya, meaning the land belonged to Pak Moya in the past. There are also remnants of cemeteries. After the colonialist Netherlands arrived, they came to establish a company. According to the elders, it happened in 1914. And it started to force the local people to work. In 1918, the Dutch company founded a factory called NV Cultur Minjk Pasir Nangka, as part of Pasir Randu.

Then the Dutch occupation was transferred to Japan. Because of the war, the area was abandoned. As the villagers lacked food, they started to work on some lands. When the Allied forces drove out Japan, the colonial Dutch returned to Pasir Randu. In 1965, PTPN VIII Pasir Nangka came to Pasir Randu. The villagers were assigned to help to clear the plantation that has already turned into a forest. In 1982, the plantation (PTPN VIII) started to produce clove. Unfortunately, the low crop price made the plantation bankrupt.

In 1984, the Pasir Randu plantation started to be a mess. Many clove trees were abandoned and many of its workers were transformed. From 1986 to 1987, only 20 workers were left. In 1990, there were only 4 workers. Pasir Randu had been turned into a forest until 1997 when the monetary crisis hit Indonesia. The houses in the plantation were damaged. There was no sport hall, the road was unmanaged. No facilities from the plantation company were left. Those who worked in the town were laid off. Then, there was a food crisis.

The farmers could work on the land because they were hit by the monetary crisis. They used the opportunity the best way by requesting the sub-district officer.

Since there was an abandoned plantation, the head of the village asked for the plantation’s administration to work on the land. At first it was not granted since they asked for the land in Cibuluh. One week later the administrator called the village head and said that if the land was for the community, he would give the 30-hectare land in Pasir Tamiang, but the location was too far. Then, the village head came again and asked the administrator for the area in Pasir Randu (Ciasem) and they got the 30-hectare land in that area.

But the land was not sufficient. The peasants bargained and asked PTPN for more. They were granted the land, but they had to pay thousand rupiahs and a 10% duty in the harvest.

Education: The Beginning of Awareness

As the farmers worked on the land, the NGOs came and educated them on land management, The Principle of Agrarian Law 1960, Presidential Decree No. 5 1979, and Minister of Home Affairs Decree.

The NGOs explained how to extend the right of commercial use, such as the requirement that the plantation company should maintain the land. But in Pasir Randu, some lands are turned into forest.

The awareness is generated by education by Bina Desa, such as education for CO in Jayagiri Village conducted for 4 nights. It should have taken place 5 days. But Babinsa removed Pak John and Pak Firmansyah from Bina Desa to Mekarsari Village. It was the first time Bina Desa entered Pasir Randu. The farmers understand the knowledge and apply it. Now they can manage the land. During the reclaiming, a farmer was accused of damaging the plantation land, but he did not admit it. He just wanted to expel PTPN, because they could not work on the land and didn’t bring prosperity to the people.

The Pasir Randu people are poor. They were forced to work as laborers in the cities since they don’t have land as production tool. Especially since their tradition in agriculture. When Bina Desa came, many of them cannot speak up their problems. They were passive and only listeners. They lived and solved their problems individually. There was no intention to discuss their problems together. After being aware of the importance of discussion for a better life, a spirit to make a change and to raise togetherness among them generated. They realized that if they work together, their condition can be changed. First, the most important expected change was their confidence. At first, they were not confident and thought they would be labeled criminals if they worked on the land. After realizing that as a people, they were the legitimate land owners and have the rights to be prosperous in their land, their awareness lifted and their solidarity grew. They realized that the struggle cannot be committed individually. The people didn’t have power, money and weapons. They only consisted of a big number. The huge number of people can turn into power if they are united.

The people’s power is on their big number. The success of their movement cannot be separated from the role of Paguyuban Petani Cianjur, the Cianjur peasant union.

The Role of the Organization

The rights of commercial use should be verified and evaluated. But this is not committed and, instead, the rights of commercial use was extended and its certificate can be traded, which is not actually allowed.

In Cianjur, it started with a dispute among the state (plantation), the investor and Perum (state company) Perhutani. The Legal Aid Institute and Indonesia Legal Aid Institute tried to advocate the case to the court, but it failed. The peasants were even intimidated. Then, they tried to have a dialogue to unite their vision and determine the steps they are going to take because the agrarian conflict occurred in each sub-district. It was a meeting of all peasants in Cianjur. In the process of dialogue, the fight should be accommodated clearly. Then, Paguyuban Petani Cianjur (Association of Cianjur Peasants) was founded.

Following the foundation of the association, the local peasant organization was formed particularly in Pasir Randu. Today, it has 521 members.

The Cianjur Peasant Association and Pasir Randu local peasant organization made cooperation in terms of information exchange on the experience of land taking over. Some stages and strategies apply. First, the dialogue. The most important thing is that if the peasants want to use the abandoned land, they understand the objective and the meaning of the land tilling.

Based on the people’s mind, in order to strengthen the reclaim, each month dialogue was held and plans were made such as building irrigation and opening rice fields which were collectively committed.

To strengthen the group members, meetings were held to discuss the problem and to exchange information. Local peasant organization also collected data of the reclaimed land to support their struggle.

Evaluation was made by the groups and they agreed to collect data to support the struggle. It is conducted by measuring the reclaimed land using the tie and its borders, for instance who belongs the north or south sides. The data is for peasants and head of peasant organization. The data is brought to Jakarta to National Land Agency. The difficulty of measurement is when the location is sloping and the people understand little about it. Then, the benefit of the measurement is explained to them. After gaining understanding, the land is measured.

In the midst of instant and materialist culture that attracts the youth to leave agriculture, the involvement of young men and women is important. The peasants are aware of their fruitless struggle unless the youth shares the seniors’ spirit.

The youth is tempted by ojek (motorcycle taxi). Hopefully they understand to allocate the time, when to do ojek and to go farming. The seniors hope that they can guide them, now some of them are joined in mutual cooperation

Some youth like Suryati and Wiwin know about the activity of Pasir Randu local peasant organization from Pak Apidin and have joined as cadre. They have even participated in the rally in Cianjur and House of Representative Jakarta. They are interested in it because the organization helps a lot of people

Like Suryati and Wiwin, south youth also actively joined as cadres — Erlan, Wawan, Oching, Etang, and others.

To involve in an organization does not only mean to take the people to rally and to ask for land, but to struggle to think of the development such as street and ditch. The activity has been started and self-sufficiency led by organization board. The people are lead by head of the group to commit collective work. For those who don’t have houses, a housing complex is constructed for them. Those who don’t have capital can share together. Streets are constructed and the bridge to Kadupandak can be accessed by car. Now, there is life. Because of the ditch, now the rice field starts to harvest. Seemingly after the organization exists, the life is getting better.

Previous the farmers were passive and depended in the favor of the state. But now since the organization was established, they can criticize the policy that does not fit to the morality and the law ethics. Second, they are independent, constructing road, irrigation, which are collectively built. Third, if there is a problem in the community, previously they solved it themselves, a physical clash used to happen frequently, now they discuss it together.

The land is already reclaimed, but there must be a legalization from the government in terms of anything, as long as it is from the government, e.g. from Cianjur Government that allows them (villagers) to work on the land. That is what the farmers hope.

The farmers staged a “Rally on National Farmer’s Day 2003”.

Along with Petani Cianjur, Pasir Randu local peasant organizations struggle to get legalization. They held seminar and workshop as well.

They also held a “Meeting with Cianjur Government 2003”.

There are two important points. First, the peasants in Cianjur have the historical right. It is a strong motive to claim. Second, there are many misuses of authority and rights of commercial use by plantation. For instance, although, the right of commercial use is expired it is extended without informing the villagers. In fact, the villagers already proposed to work on the land but it was not responded by the government, including the National Land Agency, RUISLAG, where it is secretly done, it is one of the misuse of authority rights. The case can be brought to the State Administrative Court if there is evidence.

Enok Komariah, Resident of Pasir Randu, shared her experience during the Meeting with Central State Land Agency. In the past it was difficult to buy cassava, even to eat. To buy rice they had to walk down the bad road, because it was an abandoned area. If they wanted to have breakfast, they waited for 1 PM when her husband bought the rice. Many women were left by their husbands to work in the city but then many of them were laid off because of the monetary crisis. Now, she is happy and relieved. She can breathe easily to see the future and the plantation and see the local peasant organization can build irrigation without government support. She asked: “What will the urban citizens do without the villagers? What will they do? We contribute to the urban citizens by supplying trucks of cassava and banana. It does not really matter if the crops have low prices, importantly the agricultural land should be maintained and carried on considering the life of poor people. Please…”

In a Meeting with Central National Land Agency, Ling Sarkim, Banten National Land Agency, said that the 290-hectare PTPN’s assets is already proposed to Cianjur Land Agency, but Cianjur Land Agency cannot follow up the proposal before the asset of PTPN is released by the Minister of Finance.

Their efforts were not fruitless. PTPN Pasir Nangka promised not to disturb until there is a solution from the apparatus.

The local government said yes to the farmers. The proposal will be processed immediately. But there has been no proof until now.

The written response is only from Cianjur Local Government, National Land Agency, which said that they are ready to solve the land dispute in Cianjur District, particularly the confrontation with PTPN and Perhutani.

Cepudin said that “While waiting for it, we have to work hard here, such as cultivating the land, and do not abandon it, by tilling on the land.”

Hard working is what the peasants do. To strengthen their position, they even live in the reclaimed land, construct irrigation ditch together, and repair the road. Together, they develop the area. From this road portal, they collect money to repair the damaged road. Because of the road, the trucks that need base to cover the distance, now they only need ours.

Stories of the Peasants

Mang Otoy, Tiller in Pasir Randu: Since you have lived here, what do you think of it? Is there any progress? “Yes it is, there is fertility. It is free to plant any kinds of crops because the area is wide. Since the parents don’t have any property, we will not inherit anything from them. Now, there is land which is free for public and it belongs to all. I also join to work on it. I previously left home to make a living because there is now land to work on. Now, since there is land, with friends in the association, I joined to work it on together. Alhamdulilah, Praise to the Lord, we can eat the crops such as cassava leaves. Now, there is life and it is free to live here, although it is not mine.”

Nani, Tiller in Pasir Randu: “Before the land reclaiming, it was very difficult to eat. To plant paddy, I didn’t have rice field. No land to plant cassava and banana. Before I tilled on this land, my husband used to leave me to work as labor in the town to subsist our lives. One evening, I didn’t have cooked rice. I wanted to borrow rice from my neighbor (CRYING) because my child has not eaten. But I didn’t get it. My neighbor said it was good rice. I waited for my husband who worked in the city. Suddenly he came home that evening and he brought home one sack of rice. Alhamdulilah (Praise the Lord) I have rice to cook. Now I can plant paddy, cassava and banana because we have land. I can open field, construct irrigation ditch, buy buffalos, and help my needy neighbors. This is now, but in the past, I nearly starving. Everything is so much different. Now I can pay alms and zakat (tithe). Alhamdulilah, Praise to the Lord. My life is more prosper. I also have fishpond. I have to fight for the government if it wants to take the land back, because I already worked hard for it. That is why, if the government wants to take back this land, together we fight it.”

Apidin: “Before controlling the land I was nervous because I wanted to find the job to meet the daily needs. I worked far away. I came home once in a month for 1-2 nights. It was just like not having a family. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. In the monetary crisis, I lost the job and returned home. Now for five years, I have never sought a job anywhere, even I can help poor people. Of 1.5-ton harvest, I can pay 150 kg for zakat (tithe). My neighbors can eat cassava and banana. I have fishpond and timber trees and can contribute food in Rajaban and mauludan (Islamic festival). It is not difficult to live now.”

Pasir Randu is now a hoping land for hundreds of families. The people that used to starve now have property. The life begins. But it is not something easy to earn. Still it must be fought for.