InfoSAWIT, PALANGKARAYA – Agrarian conflict in palm oil plantations raised again. This time there was victim of villagers of Bangkal, Sub district of Seruyan Raya, District of Seruyan, Central Kalimantan Province. Security officers shot the indigenous villagers of Bangkal when having demonstration. One man died.

The protest of the villagers around PT. HMBP operational, was the response for the company failed to realize plasma plantations about 20% of its cultivation rights. The villagers faced violent risks and one should die because of blocking entrance of Estate 2, PT. HMBP that laid on 1.175 hectares out of its business permit.

As in the press release that InfoSAWIT got on Saturday (7/10/2023), though PT. HMBP is the subsidiary of Best Agro Group Internasional got Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) certificate, the conflict described the failure of ISPO certification to get field real condition.

“From the conflict, it showed that ISPO certification fails to map real field condition and fails to conduct sustainability principles in the certification process,” the civil organizations noted.

Some civil organizations, such as, Sawit Watch, Save Our Borneo (SOB), and Satya Bumi responded the incident by claiming some things such as, the first, every party should resist, avoid violence, get solution to end the conflict without making more victims.

The second, security officers should avoid violence but prioritize fair and equal dialogue. Peaceful solution is the main goal.

The third, Human Rights Commission should respond the case by establishing team to get the real fact in investigating the issue and get sustainable solution.

The fourth, the governments both in national and regional level should seriously supervise plasma realization. The case – demanding plasma program, happens always in many regions and the government should be in charge to confirm sustainability process according to what the people’s rights. (T2)