InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA — The South Jakarta District Court rejected the lawsuit from the civil society organization TuK INDONESIA against Bank Mandiri regarding unlawful financing to PT Agro Nusa Abadi (ANA), a subsidiary of Astra Agro Lestari. The ruling, read on July 17, 2025, was declared Niet Ontvankelijke Verklaard (NO) or inadmissible due to formal reasons of "lack of parties," without addressing the substance of the case that had been discussed up to the evidence stage.
TuK INDONESIA strongly condemned the decision, calling it a failure of the judiciary to understand the substance of the case and a form of evasion of accountability in the financial sector. “We brought evidence, expert testimony, and valid legal standing. But all were ignored. This lawsuit was not even read thoroughly by the judges,” said TuK INDONESIA Executive Director Linda Rosalina in an official statement received by InfoSAWIT on Friday (August 1, 2025).
The lawsuit, filed since November 2024, was declarative, demanding recognition that the financing by Bank Mandiri to ANA—operating without a Business Use Rights (HGU) in Central Sulawesi since 2006—constitutes a violation of the principles of prudence, trust, and sustainability in the banking sector.
However, the panel of judges, after a lengthy hearing and a change of chair at the end of the process, decided the case only from a formal side. TuK INDONESIA's legal team views this as a reflection of the low quality of court decisions. “If the substance were examined, our lawsuit should have been accepted. But it was rejected without touching the core of the matter,” explained attorney Iki Dulangin.
The lawsuit received broad support, including from the international coalition Forests & Finance (F&F). Merel van der Mark from F&F emphasized that the financial system needs to be directed to serve people and the planet more responsibly. “Without public pressure, violations like this will continue to be overlooked. Change requires the active role of civil society,” she said.
TuK INDONESIA stated it will appeal and continue its #DesakMandiri campaign as an effort to open public discussion spaces. “If the court closes the door to justice, we will open the space in the community,” asserted Linda.
Thus, although the lawsuit failed at the initial stage, the struggle to push for accountability in the banking sector for social-environmental impacts is not over. (T2)
