PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – During the 63rd Commemoration of Farmer’s Day on September 24, 2023, Indonesia confronted significant challenges related to agrarian conflicts within the palm oil plantation sector.
Farmer’s Day should not only serve as a moment to honor the contributions of farmers, particularly smallholders, but also as an opportunity to reflect upon the essence of the Undang-Undang Pokok Agraria (UUPA), which was established in 1960 and serves as the foundational policy governing all aspects related to land and its utilization for the well-being of the nation’s people.
This legal framework is enshrined in Chapter 33, Article (3) of the 1945 Constitution (UUD 45), which is the supreme law of Indonesia.
As a steadfast advocate for smallholders, the Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit (SPKS) is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the realization of agrarian reform, particularly within the context of palm oil plantations.
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“We know that the scheme of 20% plasma plantations which should be provided for many villagers (when palm oil companies developing palm oil plantations) is the inheritance of Colonialism era. The country should implement agrarian reform as the way to solve inequality, conflicts, and poverty that many villagers bear,” Chairman of SPKS, Sabarudin said, as in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Monday (25/9/2023)
He thought, conflict about plasma scheme happened again in palm oil plantation sectors. Many smallholders and indigenous people in many regions become the victims to maintain their areas and struggle for justice in palm oil plantation (regulation). The conflicts raised because many companies often break their obligation to develop 20% plasma scheme for people, plasma cooperation, and unfair partnership.
In the recent days, the violation happened in many districts, such as, District of Seruyan, District of West Kotawaringin, West Sumatera Barat, and others that might not be exposed.
“The inability to solve conflicts, weak law enforcement, and non – partisanship of the government to the smallholders and indigenous people are the main factors that made the conflicts have no adequate solution. It seems the government is lack of fair concepts in palm oil plantation system,” Sabarudin said.
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Besides, SPKS also criticized the government by substituting Plantation Laws through Undang – Undang Cipta Kerja and related regulations. This would postpone the smallholders to develop 20% plasma smallholders. Some said that getting solution on area conflicts in forest regions might be discriminative and difficult to be implemented.
That is why he continued, in the 63rd Farmer’s Day Commemoration, SPKS urged the government to deliver the main roles for the smallholders and their unions to manage palm oil plantation system nationally. The companies might be failure in this case and would raise (more) issues, poverty, and inequality.
“To confirm smallholders’ main roles, the government should limit business rights without extending their permits but support smallholders’ unions by delivering access of technology and financial facility. This would enable them to independently develop without depending on plantation companies,” he said. (T2)
