PALMOILMAGAZINE, GORONTALO – The ongoing protest by an alliance demanding the relocation of plasma palm oil plantations from two palm oil unions in the Popayato Serumpun Subdistrict continues to be a hot topic among the community and palm oil activists in Gorontalo Province.
From 4-7 July 2024, protesters held demonstrations in front of the Gorontalo Legislators’ office and had direct discussions with the Regent of Pohuwato, but no solution was reached. Despite three hearings, the issue remains unresolved. A fourth hearing has been scheduled for 6 August 2024.
Herdiyansah Maranya, from the Supervisory Board of BSP Bukit Sawit Popayato Cooperative, stated that the responsibility for relocating the plasma plantations from Taluditi to Popayato falls on the authorities.
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This is based on the Regent of Pohuwato’s Decree Number 214/10/VII/2010, which grants a Palm Oil Plantation Business Permit to PT STN in Popayato, indicating that the plasma plantations should be situated in the Popayato region, not in Taluditi.
Besides, the memorandum of understanding between the company and Koperasi BSP is not clear yet and needs revision because the credit that reached up to Rp 75 million per hectare to develop (plasma) plantations from the first to the third year -planting, is not paid yet and the land certificate of the cooperation members, is not existing still.
“It the claim has no solution, as the alliance, we would take the case to Komisi Pengawasan Persaingan Usaha (KPPU),” Aliansi Pemindahan dan Perbaikan Kebun Plasma (APRPD), Rolly Sahrain said.
When waiting for the fourth Hearing, the alliance planned to get more mass action, suggested the workers to leave the camp for a while for their safety.
Chairman of APKASINDO Gorontalo Province, Muhadjir Laindi said that the case happened for the plasma scheme was not equal. “It is hoped that in the future, the plasma scheme should be improved within good basic and goals of partnership, provide certainty, additional values for the partners, and escalate the economic progress,” he said to Palmoilmagazine.com, Monday (5/8/2024).
Muhadjir also mentioned, for fresh fruit bunch in Gorontalo Province is at about Rp 2.286, the plasma smallholders’ income would be increasing. “Let us, as the people of Indonesia, maintain conduciveness in our region,” he said. (P2)
