Community Statement on Inco in Sulawesi: Thirty years - and justice still denied

Thirty years - and justice still denied

The following is a Position Statement - and set of demands - issued in early October 2003 by the Karonsi'e Dongi communities profoundly impacted by Inco's operations in Sorowako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It recounts a thirty year history of their struggle to obtain basic rights from a company which continues to ignore many of their claims

KERUKUNAN PETEWAWO ASLI KARONSI`E DONGI
( KRAPASKAD ) WASUPONDA-SOROWAKO,
WILAYAH NUHA - LUWU TIMUR
Sekretariat : Jln. Lasemba No. 52/ Jln. Appel Wasuponda 91983

POSITION STATEMENT

With respect, to:

1. President of the Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta
2. Head of the General Assembly (MPR - RI) in Jakarta
3. Head of the House of Representatives (DPR - RI) in Jakarta
4. Canadian Embassy in Jakarta
5. Minister of Mines and Energy in Jakarta
6. Minister of Internal Affairs in Jakarta
7. Minister of Acceleration of Development in the Eastern Areas of Indonesia in Jakarta
8. Head of the Indonesian Police Force (KAPOLRI) in Jakarta
9. Governor of South Sulawesi in Makassar
10. Head of the Local House of Representatives (DPRD) Level I iin South Sulawesi in Makassar
11. East Luwu Village District Head Bupati n Malili
12. Head of the Local House of Representatives (DPRD) Level II in Masamba
13. Presdient Director of PT. INCO in Jakarta
14. Nuha Regency Head in Wasuponda
15. Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) in Jakarta
16. Indigenous Community Alliance (AMAN) in Jakarta
17. Indigenous Community Rights Restoration Network (JAPHAMA) in Bogor
18. Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) in Jakarta
19. Sawerigading Earth Foundation (YBS) in Palopo

During the social upheaval in South Sulawesi caused by the "Islamic Rebellion" (DI/TII) in the 1950s, people in the Karonsi'e Dongi and Sorowako communities generally fled to the Soluro area from 1954 to 1956. In 1957, increasing turmoil in Soluro forced the Karonsi'e Dongi people to separate and move to three other areas; Malili, Central Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi.

From 1969 to 1976, the Karonsi`e Dongi community refugees began to return to Dongi or what is known today as New Village (Kampung Baru). Upon returning, we were greeted with enormous hardship. The land in our settlement, rice fields, gardens, and indigenous lands were all taken over by PT. INCO, land that we were forced to leave during the social and political conflict.

The Karonsi'e Dongi community immediately began addressing this issue and met with the head of the Nuha Regency, who at that time was P. Tengkano (1976-1978). However, our efforts failed. To survive as the Karonsi'e Dongi community, we were forced to integrate with neighbouring communities, mainly in Wasuponda, parts of Central Sulawesi and other areas for the last 34 years. Since 2000, there have been various efforts including lobbying directly to PT. INCO, and holding policy dialogues with the local government and North Luwu parliament. However, we have yet to receive any assurance on the survival of our community. Furthermore, we have experienced greater repression from the government with added police presence in the area.

Based on the previous mentioned items, we demand that:

1. Our land that has been taken over by PT. INCO to be immediately return to us and rehabilitated if has been degraded, this includes:
a. New Village (Kampung Baru) (now PT. INCO's golf course).
b. Kopatea and Pontadaa rice fields (now the housing site of PT. INCO staff)
c. Native forest, and former crop land that has been cultivated annually (sago palm, resin, coconut, among other crops) (now all occupied by PT. INCO as part of their concession area)
d. Rice cultivations located at the bottom west side of Buton mountain (Kuratelawa) that are no longer manageable because impacted by PT. INCO developments, Ruruano and Lembono (North of Buton Mountain, now the camp site and surrounding areas)
e. Karonsi'e Dongi community ancestral graveyard at Larowanga Lintumewure that has already been mined by PT.INCO.
f. Part of the New Village graveyard area in Kopatea (now the site of housing for PT INCO, Dormitory and D. Single area).

2. The rehabilitation of all our social and cultural assets that have been destroyed and taken over by PT. INCO.

3. The immediate withdrawal of the elite military police force (BRIMOB) in our area.

4. The immediate rehabilitation of the environmental destruction caused by PT. INCO.

5. PT INCO immediately stop efforts to mine in protected forest areas.

These demands are brought forth as the Karonsi'e Dongi community struggle to survive, a community uprooted as a result of the PT. INCO's mining exploitation since 1968 until now.

Sorowako, 2 October 2003

KERUKUNAN PETEWAWO ASLI KARONSI`E DONGI
( KRAPASKAD )

YADIN WOLOLI
Head Representative

NAOMI MANANTA
Secretary

KERUKUNAN PETEWAWO ASLI KARONSI`E DONGI
( KRAPASKAD ) WASUPONDA-SOROWAKO,
WILAYAH NUHA - LUWU TIMUR
Sekretariat : Jln. Lasemba No. 52/ Jln. Appel Wasuponda 91983

PERNYATAAN SIKAP

Kepada Yang Terhormat :

1. Presiden Republik Indonesia di Jakarta
2. Bapak Ketua MPR - RI di Jakrta
3. Bapak Ketua DPR - RI Di Jakrta
4. Kedutaan Besar Canada di Jakarta
5. Menteri Pertambangan dan Energi Republik Indonesia di Jakarta
6. Menteri Dalam Negeri Republik Indonesia di Jakarta
7. Menteri Percepatan Pembangunan KTI di Jakarta
8. Kepala Kepolisian Republik Indonesia (KAPOLRI) di Jakarta
9. Bapak Gubernur Sulawesi Selatan di Makassar
10. Bapak Ketua DPRD TK. I Sulawesi Selatan di Makassar
11. Bapak Bupati Luwu Timur di Malili
12. Bapak Ketua DPRD TK. II Luwu Utara di Masamba
13. Bapak President Direktur PT. INCO di Jakarta
14. Bapak Camat Nuha di Wasuponda
15. Jaringan Advokasi Tambang (JATAM) di Jakarta
16. Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (AMAN) di Jakarta
17. Jaringan Pembelaan Hak-Hak Masyarakat Adat (JAPHAMA) di Bogor
18. Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI) di Jakarta
19. Yayasan Bumi Sawerigading (YBS) di Palopo

Masing - masing di tempat

Dengan hormat,

Pada masa timbulnya pergolakan sosial di Sulawesi Selatan 0leh DI/TII sekitar tahun 1950an, maka Masyarakat Karunsi'e Dongi dan Masyarakat Sorowako pada umumnya pindah dan mengungsi ke Soluro Pada tahun 1954/1956. Pada tahun 1957 Kekacauan semakin meningkat dan memaksa Masyarakat Karunsi'e Dongi yang mengungsi di Soluro terpaksa harus menyebar di tiga wilayah yakni ke Malili, Sulawesi Tengah dan Sulawesi Tenggara.
PaPada tahun 1969-1976 Masyarakat Karunsi`e Dongi yang ada di Pengungsian mulai kembali ke Dongi atau yang lebih dikenal dengan sebutan Kampung Baru. Yang menjadi permasalahan besar adalah semua wilayah baik Perkampungan, Sawah, Lahan Perkebunan dan Hutan Adat sudah dikuasai oleh PT. INCO sehingga Usaha untuk kembali ke perkampungan yang telah ditinggalkan secara terpaksa akibat kekacauan sosial politik oleh DI/TII terhambat.

Berangkat dari persoalan tersebut diatas Masyarakat Karunsi'e Dongi langsung menghadap kepada Kepala kecamatan Nuha saat itu yang dijabat oleh P. Tengkano (1976-1978) namun gagal. Untuk melangsungkan kehidupan sebagaian Masyarakat Karunsi'e Dongi terpaksa harus menumpang di wilayah masyarakat tetangga terutama di Wasuponda dan sebagian di Sulawesi Tengah dan lain-lain hingga sekarang sudah 34 tahun lebih. Sejak tahun 2000 berbagai usaha telah dilakukan baik lobby langsung dengan pihak PT. INCO, Dialog Kebijakan dengan pihak Pemerintah dan DPRD Luwu Utara namun belum memberikan jaminan yang pasti terhadap kelangsungan hidup kami dan sebaliknya tekanan dari pemerintah melalui aparat Kepolisian semakin meningkat.

Atas dasar tersebut diatas kami menuntut agar :

1. Tanah-tanah kami yang telah dikuasai oleh PT. INCO segerah dikembalikan dan rehabilitasi yang telah dirusak yaitu:
a. Kampung baru (saat ini menjadi lapangan golf PT. INCO).
b. Daerah persawahan Kopatea dan Pontadaa ( Kini jadi perumahan
karyawan PT INCO)
c. Hutan adat, bekas ladang berikut tanaman tahunan (sagu,damar kelapa dan lain lainnya) telah diokupasi PT INCO (Masuk dalam area konsesi usaha PT INCO)
d. Tanah persawahan yang terletak di kaki gunung Buton sebelah Barat ( Kuratelawa) tidak dapat lagi dikelola karena ditimbun dengan tanah pembuangan PT INCO.,Ruruano dan Lembono (Sebelah Utara gunung Buton, Sekarang Bumi Perkemahan dan sekitarnya)
e. Kuburan tua milik masyarakat Dongi, yang ada di Larowanga Lintumewure sudah ditambang oleh PT.INCO.
f. Separuh dari area pekuburan kampung Baru di Kopatea telah dijadikan perumahan oleh PT INCO, (Sekarang Dormitory dan D.Single area).

2. Rehabilitasi semua asset-aset sosial buadaya kami yang telah dirusak dan dihancurkan serta dikuasai oleh PT. INCO

3. Satuan BRIMOB yang ditempatkan di wilayah kami segerah ditarik.

4. Segerah menanggulangi kerusakan lingkungan yang diakibatkan oleh PT. INCO.

5. Segerah menghentikan penambangan dikawasan hutan lindung

Demikianlah tuntutan kami ini dibuat sebagai bagian dari keberlangsungan hidup Masyarakat Karunsi'e Dongi yang tergusur akibat eksploitasi pertambangan oleh PT. INCO sejak tahun 1968 hingga sekarang.

Sorowako, 2 Oktober 2003

KERUKUNAN PETEWAWO ASLI KARONSI`E DONGI
( KRAPASKAD )

YADIN WOLOLI
Wakil Ketua

NAOMI MANANTA
Sekretais