InfoSAWIT, PEKANBARU – The Forum for Communities Affected by Riau's Forest and Land Management has welcomed the recommendations from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) regarding the resolution of the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) conflict. The forum's spokesperson, Abdul Aziz, stated that the recommendations align with the community's hope that the issues will be resolved comprehensively and based on existing legal frameworks.

"The ones being dealt with are the people, not separatists or armed groups. So the resolution should not involve pressure, coercion, or intimidation," Aziz asserted in an official statement received by InfoSAWIT on Sunday (24/8/2025). He highlighted the presence of armed military posts in the TNTN area, including near confiscation signs, which he believes only exacerbates the situation.

Aziz stressed that the establishment of TNTN has been problematic from the start. He accused its designation of violating spatial planning regulations, namely Government Regulation (PP) No. 47 of 1997 in conjunction with PP No. 26 of 2008 on National Spatial Planning. He argued that after the area was designated, forestry authorities allowed violations to occur. "Due to these past mistakes and neglect, the community is now being blamed and labeled as encroachers," he said.

Furthermore, Aziz addressed the public narrative surrounding the issue. He believes the term "cukong" (tycoon) is often used to frame the small community as the culprits. However, he noted that the area has long been a site for logging by companies holding forest concession licenses (HPH), even since 1974.

"Within the TNTN landscape, there are 153,000 hectares of land illegally controlled by 13 companies. As a result, the state has lost about Rp7.4 trillion just from the timber alone. But why has no action been taken until now? Why are the people the ones who are constantly being hunted down?" Aziz questioned. (T2)