Walhi and Community Representatives Appeal to PDI-P in DPR Over Land Conflicts and Environmental Damage

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), along with representatives from several communities, filed a complaint with the PDI-Perjuangan Faction in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) regarding land conflicts, environmental damage, and the sluggish pace of post-disaster recovery on Monday (9/21/2026).

Dana Prima Tarigan, Head of the Strategic Communications and National Executive Network (Eknas) Department at WALHI, explained that the communities involved come from various groups across different regions.

“There are coastal residents, fishermen, farmers, and also urban communities being evicted in Jakarta,” Dana said at the DPR RI Building on Monday (9/21/2026).

One of the complainants was Kholid Mikdar from the Farmers and Fishermen Awakening Front in North Banten.

He raised issues concerning land ownership affected by the PIK 2 project.

Kholid stated that the designation of the project as a National Strategic Project (PSN) has made it difficult for communities to defend their land.

“With the PSN label, they act recklessly. Our lands are being evicted and seized with figures that are arbitrarily decided. Whether we want to sell or not, they bulldoze and force us to sell at unfair prices,” Kholid said.

Kholid also urged the DPR to reexamine spatial planning changes in Banten Province, as he believes these changes neglect environmental carrying capacity and sustainability.

“We don’t want to be like a map on a table that is carelessly scribbled on,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hatta from Indramayu complained about PSN plans in the northern coast (Pantura) area, which he believes threaten the community’s livelihood.

He highlighted that residents in the Pantura coastal region, including Bekasi, Karawang, Subang, and Indramayu, have relied on this area for generations.

“In Indramayu alone, over 2,000 hectares impact about 2,000 households,” Hatta said.

According to Hatta, the consequences are felt not only by pond and rice field owners but also by workers and other community members dependent on the coastal area for their livelihoods.

Hatta criticized resettlement policies and compensation provided to affected communities.

“We are not impoverished, orphans, nor disaster victims. We have managed this land for decades, even over 50 years,” he said.

From Aceh, Saddam Nawar highlighted ongoing ecological disasters that remain unresolved. Meanwhile, mining permits and palm oil plantation activities in the area continue unabated.

Saddam requested that the DPR push for accelerated rehabilitation and reconstruction after disasters, as well as thorough evaluation of companies linked to ecological issues in Aceh.

“We bring this to you so that you can urge faster rehab and reconstruction related to ecological disasters, and subsequently carry out a full evaluation of implicated companies,” he said.

Jan Torpa Saribu, representing residents of Marunda in North Jakarta, voiced complaints about evictions suffered by the Marunda Kepu community. He urged the DPR to pay attention to issues that have already been reported to various institutions.

“We have reported the land mafia-driven evictions in Marunda Kepu to the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), LBHI, and the Regional DPRD,” Jan said.

Additionally, Cecep Jaelani from Cianjur expressed opposition to a geothermal project in the Mount Gede area, questioning the so-called renewable energy development.

“Considering the ongoing evictions, the problems remain unresolved. Currently, my main struggle is opposing a project promoted as renewable energy, but in practice, it is harmful,” Cecep stated.

Response from PDI-P Faction in DPR

Following the complaints, Dolfie Othniel Frederic, Secretary of the PDI-P Faction in DPR RI, assured that all aspirations would be followed up through commissions partnering with the relevant ministries or agencies.

“We will definitely follow up on everything conveyed in coordination with each commission’s respective partners,” Dolfie said.

Dolfie added that the PDI-P members present also represented several related commissions, including Commission IV Chairman Alex Indra Lukman and Commission III member Mercy Barends.

“Because those present also represent related commissions, they can directly address the issues to their commission partners after this meeting,” he explained.

Regarding disaster issues in Sumatra, Dolfie noted that rehabilitation and reconstruction processes remain a concern for the related commissions.

He reported that the government cited difficulties in data verification as a challenge, while the Ministry of Finance affirmed that the budget for rehabilitation and reconstruction is available.

“The Ministry of Finance always says the funds are available. Yet, we don’t know what the main obstacle is,” he said.

“Assuming the funds are there, why hasn’t construction started? That is the question,” Dolfie continued.

Dolfie emphasized that legislators from the PDI-P faction will continue to investigate the issue through the relevant commissions in DPR RI.

“Our recommendation will primarily be to instruct the government to resolve this matter in the conclusion of working meetings with commission partners,” he concluded.