Sunday, April 1, 2007

Situation Update: People of Fatumnasi Attacked by Thugs Following Court Session

Situation Update

People of Fatumnasi Attacked by Thugs Following Court Session

Kupang, 29 March 2007

Concerns that intimidation or attacks on the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi during court sessions have been proven real. The session when the people brought a complaint to court held on Thursday (29/03/07) at the State Court in Soe, South Central Timor District (TTS) ended with hitting by several people who have been on the side of the mining company. Three residents experienced bruises as a result of the hits they suffered as they were preparing to go home to Fatumnasi after the court session.

The men and women who have been rejecting the mining of Faut Lik and Fatu Ob in Kuanoel Village by PT Tedja Sekawan of Surabaya arrived in two vehicles at the State Justice building in Soe at 11.00. Accompanied by a lawyer, Magnus Kobesi, SH, the people attended the court session in an orderly fashion.

This third court session was a continuation of the previous session held on 10 March 2007, the agenda being to read the accusation. In this third session, Magnus Kobesi, SH withdrew the earlier accusation and planned to immediately put forward a new one. However, the listing of the [new] accusation was not possible because the clerk of court was absent.

The people had heard and knew about the attack before it happened. Prior to the sidang observers reported that the atmosphere around the Soe Court Building was unusual. There was a mobilization of a mass of people whose identities were unknown. A large number of them gathered in groups and spread out. These people did not only gather in the yard of the court, but also in several locations around the area of the court.

The Attack
After the court session was finished, the villagers from Kuanoel-Fatumnasi tried to leave the courtroom as a group. Suddenly a man named Nicolas Silab hit Mr. Lot Taklale on his back right at the entrance to the Soe Justice building. Not much later, Yani Tameleb hit Yati Kase in the face. As a result, Yati fell forward and was disoriented for a few moments.

Seeing the situation, Aleta Ba'un who was in the middle of the mass, tried to calm people to avoid an escalation of conflict/physical confrontation. However, Leta herself was attacked and hit by Yani Tamaleb. Fortunately, Leta was wearing a motorcycle helmet so that she wasn’t wounded, and instead the one who hit her hurt his hand. The attackers became increasingly angry and Mama Erna was also hit twice; once striking her child whom she was holding.

The police in the location of the attack just let it happen without doing anything. Seeing that the situation was heating up and holding to the principle of struggling without violence, the people tried to avoid the attacks and walk towards the lawyer’s vehicle. About 30 people crowded into the lawyer’s vehicle (a pick-up) for safety and evacuation to the office of Humanitarian Action Foundation.

After waiting there for awhile, the people were finally able to return home to Fatumnasi at about 5 pm. Not long afterwards, a group of police (not traffic police) tried to hold up the vehicle that had carried the people, accusing the driver of breaking traffic regulations. The police let the vehicle go after a process of negotiation.

According to other information, Leta and her family are being targeted for attacks and have been threatened with murder by thugs. Several times Leta’s house has been approached and threats made that it will be burned. Leta is being held responsible for Kuanoel-Fatumnasi villagers who cased away several residents of Fatumnasi who were working for PT Tedja Sekawan.

The threats and intimidation directed at Leta and others have been reported to the police. However, up until now there has been no action by the police to respond to these reports. As a result, the thugs are increasingly brazen intimidating and attacking without fear, even committing these actions openly.

The people [who oppose the mining] are increasingly under pressure and cornered; the criminalization process against the people continues. One example is the case of Yosafat Toto (YT). YT, whose house has been used as a post by the resistance and who is a stabbing victim, now sits in jail while the thugs who committed the stabbing have not been touched at all by the law. There is other information that several others have been determined to be witnesses and are waiting for the next legal action.

The struggle of the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi Villages to recover their rights is increasingly heavy. The people must face a large wall called power with the process of intimidation and various threats that continue to increase. From whom will the people find justice???

Posted by Ayoe at 9:53 PM | | Comments (0)

Press Release

12.09.2006

Pers Release

PRESS RELEASE
“PROTECT AND IMMEDIATELY END THE CONFLICT OF
THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF
FATUMNASI-KUANOEL vs DISTRICT HEAD OF TTS”

On Wednesday, 6 December 2006, at about 13.30 Central Indonesia Time, eight (8) trucks delivered about 300 to the office of the TTS People’s Assembly. At the office across from the office of the District Head, these people tried to carry out an opposition action to chase away the indigenous people of Fatumnasi-Kuanoel and other villages who reject marble mining. Their sit-in had been going on for nearly two (2) weeks without them causing any damage or violence.

This happened when there were not so many at the district head’s office, only about fifty (50) and most of them women. Most of the people who had been sitting at the District Head’s office had left in order to begin planint since the rainy season has arrived. But those who remained did not tremble in the slightest. Although they were pressured to return home, those who were involved in the sit-in just remained motionless and didn’t budge from the office of the District Head. “If we must die here, then we’ll just die here and there is not one person who can scare us. In life there are only three things: Happiness, Problems and Death,” they said.

This is not the first time the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi Villages have spoken like this. Since they began their action to reject marble mining in their village last October until recently when they came and sat at the TTS District Head’s office, they have one resolve: to struggle so that the marble mining permit issued in August 2006 to PT. Teja Sekawan Surabaya is revoked. This company has ruined the environment by mining Fatu Ob, a sacred rock of the traditional people of Mollo. If they are now ordered to return home by their own brothers and sisters, it’s clear they won’t accept it. This struggle is very important for the people of Mollo. This is evident because not only members of Fatumnasi-Kuanoel have been carrying out this action, but people from the villages of Tune, Bonleu, Nenas, Fatukoto dan Lelobatan have also actively participated.

Nevertheless, up to now, no action whatsoever has been taken by the person in charge of the local government, in this case, the District Head of TTS, Drs. aniel Banunaek. As with his behavior on previous days, the District Head remains absent and refuses to meet with the masses gathered at his office. His behavior is highly irresponsible and can result in very big risks, namely the breakout of conflict among the two groups of people. The potential for this is high considering the number of those who have come – with very organized transport – to oppose those at the sit-in.

Provocation and attacks on the people are likely at any moment. It is still fresh in our minds the incident at Naitapan in April 2006 when thugs attacked (threw things at) opponents of the marble mining who were blocking the mining location and the police did not intervene and just let them be hit. But when the people tried to retaliate on their attackers, the police (security forces) arrested activists and local leaders.

Considering the situation, we request that:1. the Governor of NTT immediately mediate the conflict between the people of Fatumnasi-Kuanoel Villages with the District Head of so that this problem does not drag on; 2. the provincial Chief of Police provide protection and security for the people of Fatumnasi-Kuanoel Villages who at this time are still sitting at the District Head’s office;3. request security forces to arrest the provocateurs who are baiting the people with anarchic behavior.

The rejection by the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi Villages and other villages regarding the mining of Faut Lik and Fatu Ob is based on critical awareness that has been born among the people. The presence of the mining company only gives birth to ecological disaster for all the land of Timor Island and cannot ever be changed by anything. It is time we began to think how to preserve the balance of the environment for our children and grandchildren in the future.

Respectfully,


Kelik Ismunandar
Manager Advocacy and Issue DevelopmentPikul
Contact No: 081339178762

Posted by Ayoe at 9:46 PM | | Comments (0)

Sit-In at Office of TTS District Head (3)

Sit-In at Office of TTS District Head (3)

Thursday 12/7/2006 10:23 AM

Wed, 6 Decemeber 2006

Soe, 23.50 Central Indonesian Time

A large mass of opponents came at noon, with eight trucks and one bus and started to bother the men and women sitting-in at the District Head’s office. The sound system they brought was turned up very loud until morning and they were drunk.

At about 23.30 Indonesian Central Time these new arrivals could no longer be controlled and began to bother and provoke the masses. The TTS Chief of Police at the site negotiated with the mean and women to sleep at the police office and in the morning (about 5.30 Indonesian they would be returned.

The Chief of Police said that the police were no longer able to handle the drunken masses and if they took action things would get chaotic. To handle security of the men and women, the Police Chief asked them to sleep at the Police station and leave all the things they had brought. He promised to guard and return their things to them the next morning. Weighing several matters, the men and women finally accepted what the Chief of Police’s bargain.
Thursday, 7 December 2006Soe, 06.00 Central Indonesian TimeIn accordance with the promise made by the Chief of Police, at about 5.00 am Central Indonesian Time, the women and men were already prepared to return to the office of the District Head. Before they returned the Chief of Police ordered them not to be baited by provocation by outsiders. The women and men had to maintain their guard so that their action would be a peaceful action.

After talking awhile with the Chief of Police, the women and men were then delivered to the site with a government truck. Upon arrival at the location several banners that had been hanging as long as the people had been sitting at the District Head’s office had completely disappeared. These banners had the following written on them:1. Withdraw Mining Permits for the Sake of Environmental Preservation 2. Stop Mining!!! Save Water Sources for our Children and Grandchildren3. Reject Mining, Save Water & Food on Timor Island4. Come on, Let’s Unite to Refuse Mining5. Stop Looting the Earth of Mollo

When they saw the women and men coming, the opposition tried to resume their provocation. They tried to surround the men and women who continued to sit calmly in the yard in front of the District Head’s office, but always on guard for their safety. Despite the provocation, the women and men still do not want to leave the District Head’s office until the mining permit has been withdrawn, FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND LIVE FROM MOLLO. At the time this news was received, the women and men were still in a threatening situation.

To know directly the situation in the fields, friends can contact:
Melly Oematan/ Pak Mel : 0813537437462. Mak Leta : 0813189673193. Theos/ Arit via Yati’s handphone : 085239329345

*According to information from the field, one bus that was carrying a mass of opposition rolled over; three people died and tens of others suffered serious injuries. The truth of this information needs to be checked.

Posted by Ayoe at 9:44 PM | | Comments (0)

Sit-In at Office of TTS District Head (2)

Sit-In at Office of TTS District Head (2)
(First installment is Molo Update 30 Nov.)


Kupang, Wednesday, 6 December 20061.
Situation of the Sit-inThe sit-in at the office of the TTS District Head is now in its 13th day (the entire protest has now continued for two months), nevertheless the indigenous people of Kuanoel Village, Fatumnasi and several other villages in the Mollo area are still hanging on. The Fathers and Mamas along with youth do not want to leave the sit-in until they have met with the District Head who must permanently / temporarily withdraw the mining permit.

"We will not go home before we have met with the District Head, Mr. Daniel Banunaek to see that he immediately stops the mining permit. Besides that, the auto [excavator] must also immediately be removed from the location because it makes our heads dizzy,” say the Mamas. Nevertheless, Mr. District Head who is awaited has still not yet shown his face; he’s even inclined to avoid them. Since the sit-in at the office of the District Head began, Mr. Daniel Banunaek has never gone to his office and has temporarily moved his office his home.

The District Head’s stubbornness has been met by the people by holding a sit-in / surrounding his office. On Saturday (2/12/06) and Tuesday (5/12/06) the people who usually have just sat in front of the District Head’s office began to advance to close the door of the office so that workers wanting to enter the office had to go around to the back.

"The District Head has bothered our lives all this time. During this season we should be preparing our fields for planting, but because the District Head has issued a permit for mining, it has made our lives more difficult. The closing of the door to the District Head’s office isn’t making things more difficult for Mr. District Head or his workers because they can still live from the salaries they receive. But for us who have never received a salary, leaving our fields at such a time is a threat to our lives, our future,” said Mama Lodia.

[Rains began on Monday, 4 Des.] To face the rainy season, which means the people’s planting season, they have divided themselves into several groups so that some can go home earlier to immediately prepare their fields while others will remain at the location while waiting for other people who have already planted to arrive and replace them. They are doing this so that the location (the District Head’s office) will not be left empty.

2. Attitude of the Political EliteAlthough the people have been sitting-in at the District Head’s office for 13 days, the attitude of the political elite (executive and legislative) in TTS District, the province and at the national level does not yet indicate they are serious. The attitude to play behind the screen and to be unwilling/”courageous” to appear in the front is more visible from the attitudes that have been taken up to now.

Although members of both the district and provincial people’s assembly and also the national people’s assembly have visited the location, nevertheless they still make quick promises and have not yet taken any concrete actions. What is even stranger is that several members of the TTS People’s Assembly who visited the people at the sit-in at the District Head’s office not long ago said, “Sorry, misters and mamas, we are taking a recess and saw there were people sitting out here so we tried to come. Up to now we didn’t know anything about the problem all you men and women have been facing so we invite you to speak with us about this matter. And you need to know that our presence here is not on behalf of the institution, but on our own behalf as individuals,” so spoke a member of the TTS People’s Assembly who was present.

A statement such as this by a member of the assembly is very strange and doesn’t make sense; to use this shows they are not brave to give explicit support to the people. What is even stranger is that members of the District People’s Assembly have visited the location two times, so why don’t they know anything at all????

Obviously the people must persist to struggle on their own, even though they have chosen representatives who at this time sit in seats at the District/Provincial People’s Assemblies, as well as the central [National People’s Assembely] because they were elected by the people."If they are unable to help us, don’t blame us if in the coming election we don’t vote for them or even don’t vote at all,” said several of the people.

3. Future PlansThe people will continue to sit-in at the District Head’s office as well as at the mining site until: the District Head meets with the people, the District head withdraws the mining permit permanently/temporarily, and the auto [excavator] is removed from the location. If these three things are not met, then the people will persist in their protest.

Seeing that the District Head still does not want to meet with/heed the people, thus the struggle of the indigenous people of Kuanoel, Fatumnasi Village and other villages will continue for a long time. The failure of the people to chase away the investor from the mining site means a legitimation of other mining plans on Mollo land that is rich in natural resources, especially marble. If that happens, then environmental destruction, water pollution, poverty and hunger will haunt the people every year. Support and pressure from many parties is still very needed here to stop all mining permits in Mollo Earth that never give welfare for the people.

Soe, 13.30 Central Indonesia TimeAt this moment more or less 300 people from Amanuban and Amanatun (using 8 trucks) have been delivered to the office of the People’s Assembly office (next to the office of the District Head). These masses are shouting and asking the [anti-mining demonstrators] to immediately go home and leave the location.

Although they are being pressured to immediately go home, the indigenous people of the Village of Fatumnasi and Kuanoel still refuse to be moved even a little from the office of the District Head. "If we must die here, let us just die here and there is not even one person who can scare us. In life there are only three things: happiness, difficulty and death,” said the people of Kuanoel and Fatumnasi Villages.

At this time there are not many still at the sit-in at the District Head’s, only about 50 people, mostly women. Most of the people have gone home to plant because the rainy season has arrived.

Although the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi Villages are being threatened by thugs, the police are trying to wash their hands and don’t want to take responsibility. They are allowing the thugs to perturb the women who remain at the location. an mencoba cuci tangan untuk tidak mau bertanggungjawab. Mereka membiarkan para preman mengusik para Mama yang tetap tinggal di lokasi. Provocation and attacks of the people could very likely occur at any moment and the police will just let it happen. This brings to mind the Naitapan case of April 2006 when thugs attacked (threw things at) those who were blockading the mining location and the police just let it happen. But when the people [protestors] tried to retaliate for that attack, the police (security forces) then arrested activists and local leaders.

While awaiting news of further developments, friends who have legal aid (lawyers) can provide back-up in this case if the people of Fatumnasi and Kuanoel Villages are arrested.

To know directly the situation in the fields, friends can contact:
Melly Oematan/ Pak Mel : 0813537437462.
Mak Leta : 0813189673193.
Theos/ Arit via Yati’s handphone : 085239329345

Posted by Ayoe at 9:41 PM | | Comments (0)

In Memoriam: Mama Lake

In Memoriam

Mama Lake

Monday 4 Desember 2006 3:02 PM
Dear friends:

Grief blankets the fathers and mamas who still struggle to stop marbel mining in Kuanoel Village, for the True One Who Breaks Down Barriers has called home Mama Marcelina Anone or who was usually called Mama Lake who died on Thursday, 30 November 2006 at about 17.00. She was 55 years old.

Mama Lake was a pioneer in the people's opposition PT. Teja Sekawan. She along with Mama Etty Anone were the two courageous women to block the mining excavator for the first time on 24 Agustus 2006. Without any fear at all, Mama Lake together with Mama Etty Anone bravely obstructed the mining workers who had begun to work. This opposition by Mama Lake and Mama Etty Anone was then followed by a wave of opposition by the people that has continued until now.

Mama Lake's courage was again demonstrated when she, together with two other women (Ms. Veronika and Mince Taklale) obstructed the excavator on Thursday, 2 Nov 2006 (for more complete information, read the action chronology of 2 November 2006). Mama Lake blocked a drilling maching that was being used so that her entire body (especially her face) was covered by dust. You should know that the other two women, Ms. Veronika and Mince Taklale, covered their faces, whereas Mama Lake did not so that she was they one who was most heavilty hit by dust.

Since then, Mama Lake, who was already ill, became increasingly sick so that her friends suggested she go to Soe to be examined. But Mama Lake refused and chose to remain at Kuanoel until she died last Thursday. In the moments approaching death, she still asked about the protest actions and asked for news about the sit-in at the office of the District Head (in Soe).

Safe travels, Mama ... what you did has been a source of inspiration for the struggle of the people of Mollo until now. We will continue the struggle, Mama.

Posted by Ayoe at 9:40 PM | | Comments (0)

Solidarity Invitation

Dear Friends,

Tuesday, 21 November 2006

Today at 10.00 am, the masses, totaling more or less 200 people, who have been sitting at the mining location blocked the road when the car of the Vice District Head (Peter Loba) and his entourage were passing on their way to officiate at a ceremony to honor a new road in Nuapin Village. The people had received word of the event the day before so that they did not leave the site and waited for the arrival of the Vice District Head’s car.
When they heard the Vice District Head’s car coming, they moved up and stood along the side of the road. Then the Vice District Head and those with him got out of their car and tried to have a dialogue with the people.

The dialogue was opened by Aleta Baun (Mak Leta) who explained the situation of the problem and the reasons the people were involved in a demonstration. Mak Leta said that for more than one month the people had been sitting at the mining location because they reject the permit that allows mining in their village as well as in other villages in Mollo.

Mr. Melly Oematan also expressed his opinion, stressing what had been said by Mak Leta. Mr. Mel said that, “in the socialization carried out by both the mining company and the government, the people had emphatically rejected the mining plan. The people have rejected the mining by sitting at the mining location for almost 1.5 months. This indicates the determination of the people throughout Kuanoel and Fatumnasi Villages to reject the mining”.

"Based on the people’s rejection up to now, we therefore request the District Head to withdraw the mining permit, not just temporarilty,” said Mr. Polly who furthered Mr. Mel’s position. A total withdrawal of mining permis, not only issued to the company mining in Kuanoel but also other permits as well as other plans to mine in Mollo. The struggle of the people of Kuanoel-Fatumnasi Village and other villages aims to reject all mining permits in Mollo. “For the people, mining is only a source of disaster and never makes us happy/prosper.”
Another person to speak was one of the women (Mama) who was present (Senam Oematan) who said that the mining had caused women to suffer in relation to availability of water and crop harvests. “We (women/mama-mama) must walk even further to obtain water because the water around the location is now polluted while among us now there are pregnant women. The same is true with our crop harvests that will surely be diminished since we can no longer plant on our land that is at the mining site. This condition will certainly cause us women here to suffer more and more so that we are all determined to obstruct the excavator so that it will not ruin our fields, water and rock that have kept us alive all this time.

Hearing the demands and explanations presented by the men and women, the Vice District Head shed tears. He told the people that up to now he was not in agreement with Mr. District Head. Mr. Vice District Head promised to facilitate a meeting of the people with Mr. District Head on Thursday, 24 November 2006 since the people planned to hold a sit-in at the District Head’s office beginning on (that) Thursday.

After that, Mr. Vice District Head left the men and women who were still sitting at the mining location to protect the rock so that it would not be mined. Were the tears shed by the Vice District Head a sign of his commitment to side with the people or…. We wait for further news.

Posted by Ayoe at 9:37 PM | | Comments (0)

Solidaritas Perjuangan untuk Rakyat Molo

11.14.2006
Solidaritas Perjuangan untuk Rakyat Mollo -english version

SOLIDARITY STRUGGLE for the PEOPLE of MOLLOLMND EW NTT-PIKUL-DPK SRMK-SINODE-Rumah Perempuan-Cis Timor-PMPB-KURSOR
Sekber : Jln. Arjuna No.9 Kota Baru Kupang Tlp. 0380-830218 Fax. 833257

POSITION STATEMENT
SAVE THE PEOPLE’S FIELDS!!SAVE THE WATER ON TIMOR ISLAND!!REJECT MARBLE MINING!!


The people’s rejection of marble mining activities on Timor Island is nothing new. Various attitudes of rejection appear among the people, from writing reader’s letters to newspapers, sending delegations to dialog with the government, regional people’s assembly and mining companies, to mass si-down and blockade actions against mining activities that have recently led to the arrest and jailing of some people. Now the people of Soe’s South Central District are restless and struggling to reject mining activities. They are the people of Mollo, Fatumnasi Sub-district in South Central Timor District.

In general, rejection by the people is based on their enthusiasm to defend the well-being of nature and sovereignty of the fields that are the source of their livlihood, both of which relate to food production.
Unfortunately the people’s response has not changed the attitudes or the ways of thinking of policy-makers either from the level of the central government to the District Head, or in the legislature from the central to district levels.

FOUNDATION FOR POSITION
Marble mining activities certainly bring more suffering to the people than profits. The profits are only for the investors and those in the government aligned with them.

Those living around the mining site experience several forms of suffering:
1. the disappearance of agricultural fields due to confiscation by the mining company to build facitilities to support the mining or because the land is located on marble that is being mined;
2. the loss of people’s access to water, both water needed for daily living as well as water needed to water their crops. This is caused by the damage done to springs (in general many springs and underground rivers are found among marble hills), as well as to water pollution because of mining wastes;
3. various illnesses, especially skin diseases and stomach problems due to polluted water;
4. damage done to the culture of customs of the local people (in general for the people of the Island of Timor, marble hills are recognized as sacred and the place to carry out traditional rituals);
5. there is potential to experience human rights violations such as intimidation and repressive actions by police, the army and/or thugs protecting the interests of the capitalists;
6. for the people of Timor Island, marble mining operations, particularly in the areas of Mutis Peak (South Central Timor District) and Timau Peak (Amfoang District), threatens the availability of water and crop production. Several riverbeds that run through Timor have their headwaters in Timau and Mutis which are rich in marble.

Marble mining is also not an important matter for the people. Marble is not a basic necessity for people’s consumption (compared to water and food). Marble also is not basic material needed for the continuation of the economic system and the progress of human life (compared to the mining of oil, gas, coal, iron ore and aluminum). The greatest part of marble production only ends up as décor in the homes of rich people.
Only a very small portion of the profits produced by marble mining activities go to the government and used to serve the interests of the people. The majority of the profits from marble mining go to the company that takes away chunks of marble from Timor and processes it in other places to become a product whose value is far greated than the raw chunks. The investor enjoys his profits from the sale of marble, whose value has increased many times over, in the place from which he originates.

Can the mining of marble produce employment on Timor Island? Yes, but very little because the industry to process the marble is not located on Timor, whereas the loss experienced by the people is too great to count.
The attitude that should be taken in regard to marble mining is to SHUT IT DOWN.

Marble mining is different than mining oil and natural gas, coal or minerals that are needed as basic materials to produce various necessities. REGARDING THE MINING OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS, COAL OR MINERALS SUCH AS IRON ORE, COPPER AND ALUMINUM, besides the obligation to observe preservation of the environment, the position the government should take is NATIONALISATION OF THE MINING INDUSTRY, so that the profits that for all this time have been enjoyed by foreign capitalists can be transferred into the hands of the state to be improve and preserve the environment, and make available and serve various needs of the people.DEVELOPMENT OF THE MINING PROBLEM IN FATUMNASI, MOLLO, SOUTH CENTRAL DISTRICT

1. Kuanoel, Fatumnasi, South Central Timor- FautLik (a rock hill) that stands proudly in Kuanoel Village, (Fatumnasi Sub-district, South Central Timor District) is threatened by heavy equipment owned by PT. Teja Sekawan Surabaya, a marble mining company. FautLik is the next victim after Fatu Naitapan in Tunua, a neighboring village not far from Kuanoel, was mined in such a messy way. This was especially a mess after the resistance of the people in Naitapan was stopped by repression when protestors engaged in a blockade were arrested and detained by police and thugs who were hired by the company.
- Friends from PIKUL, LMND (Buce Brikmar) and others who visited Kuanoel Village on 6-8 November to monitor the situation noted an excavator, a large truck (Fuso) and various mining implements were still in Kuanoel Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district.
- Mining activities have been unable to procede smoothly due to opposition by women from Kuanoel and Fatumnasi who stood in the front to obstruct the excavator.
- Repressive forces (the military, police and paid thugs) always are guards for each of the capitalist’s interests. They carry weapons, approach the people and intimidate them so they will not demonstrate and will reject those from outside Mollo who come to give solidarity for the people’s resistance.
This is how things stood most recently from 6-8 November according to the observations of Colleague Buce Brikmar.
- Also, head of the division for Development Systems in South Central Timor (Maksi Oematan) played an important role in support for the mining and pressured the people on Tuesday, 7 November 2006 at 3.00 or 4.00 in the afternoon. He invited the people to the office of the Fatumnasi Sub-district Head (Camat), saying it was an official meeting of the South Central Timor District government. This was why the men and women were invited because he said he had observed the people carrying out their activities and that they were being coordinated by Mrs. Aleta Baun. If he was not mistaken, this woman’s organization, up to now, was still illegal. Therefore, the next morning Aleta Baun had to bring all attributes of her organization to his office. He also demonstrated discrimination towards the people. He asked them, “All of you have received cash subsidies [from the government] to help pay for increased fuel costs, haven’t you?” The people responded that they had. “You have all received rice aid for the poor, haven’t you?” The people responded that they had. This was followed by one sub-district civil servant who said: “They have sir, they have already received rice and that is what they are eating at the site of their demonstration.” Then Maksi Oematan responded, “Great, later you will all get more, ya?!” His cynical words directed at the people invited a harsh reaction because there is no relationship of the Bureau for Development Systems, the mining problem and organizations. It seems from the attitude of this man from Development Systems that he was present in his institutional capacity. In our judgment he has violated civil-political human rights, so we demand of the NTT Provincial People’s Assembly to immediately order the police (the police force of South Central Timor) to detain MAKSI OEMATAN for the period of 1 week.
2. The above problem led to restlessness of the people of Mollo in the Fatumnasi Sub-district so that on Wednesday, 8 November, the people of Fatumnasi carried out a protest action in Soe [the capital of South Central Timor District] in order to meet with the Head of South Central Timor District and to pressure him to immediately withdraw the mining permit. Nevertheless, this action apparently did not produce results.
ISSUES BEING WEIGHED

The people of Fatumnasi definitely reject the mining because:
- their fields are damaged and seized by mining activities;
- a spring is being tapped for mining interests and the muddied water threatens health and will in the end disappear once the rock has been mined;
- there is restlessness due to police and military going back and forth in their village;
- the wind that gusts down from the peak of Mt. Mutis will be many times more severe and will attack their homes and plants because Fautlik that protects them from the wind will be shaved away;
- a simbol of Mollo culture will be smashed (Fautkanaf – the people are guards of the rock and Oekanaf – guard of the water)
- the destruction of fields and the loss of available water will have an impact, namely reduced food production that will end in poverty and hunger;
- for the rocks around Mt. Mutis to be mined spells danger for the preservation of riverbeds throughout the island of Timor;
- this means the mining of Fautlik and other rock hills = Timor drought in the future = greater destruction in terms of food security = death for the children-grandchildren of all who live on Timor Island.
DEMANDS

Based on the issues above, we demand:
1. Of the NTT Provincial People’s Assembly
- to immediately visit the location of the mining conflict in Mollo, South Central Timor, and not simply listen to the complaints of the people while sitting behind a desk;
- to issue a political statement pressuring the NTT Governor to give an honest explanation regarding the situation of permission granted for marble mining that was once issued and to withdraw that permission if it is one of the basis that allows district heads throughout Timor to permit mining.
2. Of the Head of South Central Timor District
- to listen to the complaints and demands of the people
- to give attention to saving the ecology and food security on the island of Timor
by means of:
- withdrawing permission to mine in the region of Fatumnasi Sub-district in Mollo, South Central Timor District that has been given to marble mining companies;
- demanding that companies that have already operated or that are currently operating be held accountable for rehabilitating the environment that has been damaged as a result of their mining activities.


SAVE THE PEOPLE’S FIELDS!!SAVE THE WATER ON TIMOR ISLAND!!REJECT MARBLE MINING!!

Kupang, 08 November 2006
Signed

GREGORIUS DALLAFIELD
COORDINATOR

Posted by Ayoe at 9:34 PM | | Comments (0)

Call For Action

CALL for ACTION

DEMAND THAT HEAD of SOUTH CENTRAL TIMOR DISTRICT WITHDRAW ALL MINING PERMITSin the MOUNTAINS of MOLLO

The indigenous people of Mollo in South Central Timor District (TTS) again took action to defend the sustainability of the sources of their life from damage by the marble mining industry. This time, the PT Teja Sekawan company (Surabaya) wanted to split the Fatu Ob/Fatu Lik rock in Kuanoel Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district of TTS to cut it into blocks of marble for international export.

With perserverance in opposing the intimidation of armed thugs, the indigenous people of Mollo succeeded in forcing PT Teja Sekawan to stop its operations for the time being after a one month sit-in at the mining site. The people also demand that the Head of South Central Timor District withdraw PT Teja Sekawan’s mining permit. However, the District Head has only been willing to freeze the company’s permit for awhile and will form an Independent Team to evaluate the suitability of mining efforts in the mountains of Mollo.

Formation of an Independent Team is often used as a tool to deceive people when, in the end, the exploitation of nature still continues with the excuse that there has been scientific research. Therefore, in order to realize the safety and welfare of the people in the mountains of Mollo the Total Cessation of All Kinds of Mining Efforts must be executed.

We invite the participation of friends to give support to the Mollo indigenous people’s struggle by sending a letter to the Head of South Central Timor District so he will withdraw all permits for mining in the mountains of Mollo.
Send your letters to the following fax numbers:South Central Timor (TTS) District Head 0388-21137South Central Timor (TTS) District People’s Assembly 0388-21365South Central Timor (TTS) District Chief of Police 0388-21400

Copies:Governor of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province 0380-821520East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Provincial People’s Assembly 0380-829453East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Provincial Chief of Police 0380-821544Ombudsman Commission of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province 0380-839367National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) 021-3925227

Attached is a sample protest letter you can edit. You can access the latest news about the actions of the people of Mollo at http://rakyatmollo.blogspot.com/. Please distribute this CALL to ACTION to members of your network/s.

By sending a letter, you can prevent damage to the mountains of Mollo that are important as repositories for water and help the people to defend their rights. You can see the mountain rock that has been turned into chunks of marble at http://www.teja-marble.com/product.html

Salam for Eternal Justice,

Adi Widyanto
----------------------------------------
Campaigner Mining Advocacy Network
(Jaringan Advokasi Tambang, JATAM)
Jl. Mampang Prapatan II/30 Jakarta 12790IndonesiaTelp/Fax 021-7941559

OPEN LETTER


Re : Demand to Withdraw Mining Permits in the Mountainous Region of Mollo
To:1. Head of South Central Timor District2. South Central Timor District Chief of Police3. South Central Timor District People’s Assembly Chair

Copies:1. Governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province2. East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Provincial People’s Assembly Chair3. East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Provincial Chief of Police4. Ombudsman Commission of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province5. National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
With respect,
Through this letter we wish to express our regret for the drawnout conflict of the indigenous people of Mollo with PT Teja Sekawan. As you know, this conflict began with permission to mine the Fatu Ob/Faut Lik rock in Kuanoel Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district that was issued to PT Teja Sekawan by the South Central Timor District Head without consultation or considering the interests and safety of the people. The granting of permits in this manner injures the enthusiasm for democracy that should be upheld by government authorities from the central to the regional levels.

The indigenous peoples of Mollo have long lived and depended on local preservation of nature such as water sources, farmland and forests that are the source of their life and income. Several previous experiences indicate that the mining of rock brings damage to nature and finally is a loss for those who live around it.

The following impacts have already been caused by previous mining of a rock, namely Mt. Naetapan, Tunua Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district:1. According to villagers in and around Tunua, the presence of the marble mining company has not given them any benefits. Besides the company not employing one single local villager, promises to build a health facility and a church were never fulfilled.2. Cutting the rock has caused the earth to easily erode. Besides threatening the safety of villagers, the erosion also has eroded their farmland.3. Pollution of water source has resulted from marble dust that pollutes the river when, in fact, this river is used for various needs from bathing to washing clothes.4. Drought. This mountain rock is in a region that holds water for local water sources. The disappearance of the mountain rock due to mining results in drought during the dry season.5. Disturbance of Crops. Mining bans people from using their farmland. As much as 25 hectares of agricultural fields have been snatched by the marble company. As a result the production of crops has been reduced and so also the acquisition of money. Several kinds of annual crops such as oranges have withered and died because they were flooded by water that had been used to drill/rinse the marble rocks.

We warn Mr. District Head that marble mining in the region of the Mollo mountains is an act of mass suicide. This region is an area that catches water that feeds into two large riverbeds on Timor Island, Benanain and Noelmina. Hunders of springs in Mollo and surrounding the feet of Mollo mountains greatly depend on the existence of limestone/marble mountains in Mollo.

The mining of the rock also causes people to be torn apart by horizontal conflicts as well as experience intimidation and violence, both from police as well as armed thugs who threaten their safety. We can surmise it is unwise for a government decision when it does not insure welfare but rather the suffering of the people.

Therefore we urge:1. The Head of South Central Timor District to immediately withdraw all Written Permits for Mining in the Region of Mollo Mountains;2. The Chief of Police of South Central Timor District to order his forces to stop mining activities as well as stop their own acts of intimidation and terror of the people and their supporters;3. The Chair of the South Central Timor District People’s Assembly to be pro-active in handling this case and to admonish all state authorities who abuse their authority.
Thus is this letter we send to be followed up as needed.

Jakarta, 14 November 2006

Respectfully,

Name, Institution

Posted by Ayoe at 9:23 PM | | Comments (0)

Fautlik Chronology

9.10.2006
Fautlik Chronology - English version

STOP THE LOOTING OF TANAH MOLLO!

Invitation to Solidarity Support

Again, a Mining Excavator Seizes the People’s Land!
An Account of Events

Location of Events : Fatu Ob / Faut Lik Kuanoel Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district,
South Central Timor District (TTS)

Perpetrators : 1. Employees of PT. Teja Sekawan: 2. Chief of Police North Mollo, Iptu Yahya Selan: 3. Head of Fatumnasi Sub-district, Lamber Oematan, BA: 4. Fatumnasi Village Guidance Officers (babinsa): 5. Civil Servant Staff from TTS District government (TTS Board to Control Impacts on the Environment at the District Level)
Victims : The Anone family and land owners of Kuanoel Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district

On Thursday, 24 August 2006 at about 11.00 in the morning, workers of PT. Teja Sekawan Surabaya, a company that intends to mine the marble rocks, Faut Lik and Fatu Ob in Kuanoel Village, guarded by police, army soldiers, civil servants and thugs paid by the company, unilaterally used an excavator to tear down the fence of the garden owned by Ety Anone and Yustus Tunis. It then forced the opening of a road on the land of Ety Anone, and succeeded in digging up five metres of the land.
Ety Anone herself opposed this action and stubbornly ordered the excavator used by company employees and guarded by security forces to immediately stop its work and leave. About 30 grade school students who had just begun school watched a verbal “war” between company supporters and Ety Anone that lasted for two hours. This ended only when Ety Anone, ready to do anything, climbed up on the front part of the excavator and sat on top of the excavator’s scoop risking death because the workers and security forces accompanying them obviously did not honor her complaints for them to stop the work.
The company and security supports only left the site when it became crowded as more villages arrived on their way home from the Village office where they had been waiting in line since morning to collect their portions of rice for the poor. They too were surprised by what had happened because this forced action had been carefully planned so that the excavator would come when all the villagers were away from the location, especially those whose houses were located around the site.
On Friday, 25 August 2006, a group from the company and security forces supporting them returned to the location with the purpose to continue making the road. They arrived with two men from Lilana Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district, Nikanor Bay and Sius Anone. These two people who were each paid 1 million rupiah (about US$110) by the company to insure their support for building the road on this piece of land were pitted against the group supporting Ety Anone.
This event was clearly intended to divide the people. Sius is a close member of Ety Anone’s family, yet the land in question is clearly owned by Ety Anone. The mining company for some time has tried to pay Ety Anone to release her land to them, but the Anone family (Ety Anone) does not agree so that the company, with assistance from local security forces, sought another way by approaching close members of the family who could be paid and supposedly speak on behalf of the Anone family to release the land to the mining company.
This was clear from the attitude put forward during this event when the pro-company side said to the supporters of Ety Anone, please deal with those who have already been paid because we want to get to work. This attitude got a strong reaction from the villagers, particularly the women, because they felt so disappointed with the behavior of the pro-company group that, note well, was supported by government forces. The company’s arbitrary actions were strongly opposed by the people. Furthermore, one woman, Lodia Oematan, bared her breast and thrust it in the direction of the forces who were there criticizing them. Full of regret she said, “So you’ll know, hopefully you weren’t born and raised on your mother’s milk.”
The group and their security supporters finally dispersed because there were more and more villagers who arrived to protest. The excavator was simply left at the site, in Ety Anone’s garden.
On Saturday, 26 August 2006, the company group and its security forces returned again to the location, but even more villagers came to the site. There was more verbal warfare, and villagers pressured company workers to immediately take away the excavator, but the pro-company group answered with a new promise that they would remove the excavator on Monday, 28 August 2006.
On Monday, 28 August 2006 103 people who have land around the mining site held a meeting with the investor, the head of Fatumnasi Sub-district, seven police and local villagers leaders. In this meeting an employee of PT. Teja Sekawan, Desti Nope, read an official Decree from the District Head that gave the company permission to engage in Class C mining. They also made efforts to convince the villagers to accept the mining. Then they asked the land owners if they wanted to release their land, but all of the land owners said they were not willing to release their land because according to them they own no alternative fields they can farm, while as farmers they hang their hopes of life on the land they own.
Because he did not get support from the land owners, the investor answered emotionally saying the company had already obtained permission from the TTS District government and therefore, although the villagers did not agree to hand over their land, the investor would continue to work. “I have already received permission from the District Head to mine, so although you men do not agree, tomorrow I will continue to work,” said the investor. Hearing the investor’s statement, the villagers immediately attacked with a hale of angry and complaining voices so that the police intervened in the meeting and broke up the crowd.
In this meeting, security forces, through Yahya Selan, also threatened several villagers saying those who did not agree to hand over their land would be processed by the law.
At the time we are sharing this information with you, Sirs/Madams/brothers/sisters, the people around the site are still disturbed because there is constant intervention and intimidation by those under the orders of the company, including security forces. The situation is very susceptible to conflict, both conflict among villagers as well as villagers with security forces and the investor’s group.
The Process of People's Action

29-30 August: People's action at the TTS Parliament
103 heads of households from Fatumnasi Village, accompanied by members of A’Taimamus Organisation (OAT), Timor Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Timor,[1] Center for People’s Information and Advocacy (PIAR)[2] and Forum for People’s Defense (FPR)[3] met with members of the TTS District Parliament who were holding a plenary session. Complaints by the people were one item on the agenda for this meeting so that the people were given an opportunity to explain the chronology of the problem that they call the seizing of the people’s land by perpetrators from the mining industry. After getting an explanation and chronology of the case, members of the TTS District Parliament were willing to do direct observation in the field after their session was over (11 September 2006).
Besides details of the problem that have been written in the chronological account (above), one villager who lives in the area around Fautlik, named Agustinus Luli, has also experienced an act of terror by Yusak Oematan and chief of the sub-district police who threatened that he would be processed by the police. However, according to Luli’s account, he was sought by Yusak and the police to be beaten because he is one of the villagers who intends to contest the selling of the rock by Yusak and his friends.
The problem experienced by Agustinus Luli is certainly part of the problem related to the selling of Fautlik rock along with 50 hectares of land by Yusak Oematan, Lambert Oematan, Nikanor Fau[4] and Yustus Tanu (Yustus is from Tunua Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district). Although they do not own land around Fautlik, these four men have signed a letter selling Fautlik and 50 hectares of land to the mining industry perpetratros, in this case PT Teja Sekawan, who then used the letter as proof of sale and the Decree by the District Head as justification for seizing the land owned by Ety Anone. Meanwhile the 103 household heads that live around Fautlik and work the land around it knew nothing. They were shocked when the land farmed by Ety Anone’s family was ruined by the excavator owned by the company to become an access road to the mining area. These 103 household heads plan to contest the actions of the four men who sold the rock and land because they actually have no rights whatsoever to what they sold. Although these 103 housholed are not supported by land certificates, they nevetheless have worked this land for several generations; these are the only fields off which they live. At the time it was damaged, this land was being farmed with food crops owned by the people.
31 August 2006: Action by women's group who occupy the excavator
PT. Teja Sekawan returned to use the tactic of dividing the people to make space for their efforts. This time the company promised to install electricity for Mama Kase, a widow who lives by herself and who then gave permission for her land to be worked to become the access road for the miners. The land owned by Mama Yosina includes that closest to Fautlik, the rock that is to be mined. This woman’s house is used as a protected place by the miners; if they are approached by the people they will choose to run into Mama Yosina’s house.
Since the people’s action at the TTS District Parliament, the excavator owned by PT Teja Sekawan is still being used for work. The digging of land to make an access road has already ruined land and rocks up to + 10 metres. Not only that, digging by the excavator has ruined a spring of natural spring located by the side of the road.
Seeing this damage, the people decided to carry out a protest action at the mining location. A group of women took the initiative to have a sit-in in front of the excavator to obstruct its path. This women’s group was coordinated by Mrs. Ety Anone (the victim of the land seizure on 25/8/06), Mrs. Lodia and Mrs. Elisabeth Oematan. Ety Anone and Elisabeth Oematan are residents of Kuanoel Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district, and Mrs. Lodia is a resident of Fatumnasi Village, Fatumnasi Sub-district.
5 September 2006: Broadening of Resistance
Clearly, after four days of carrying out their action, the women’s group were still unable to stop the work of PT Teja Sekawan that was ruining the land and rocks because the workers would return to work when the women doing the protest returned to their homes. They took advantage of the women’s faithfulness to their domestic roles as the time to continue their looting!
PT Teja Sekawan workers were stubbornly determined to keep working because they felt supported by the District Head’s Decree that they had read to the people. In fact, as a public document, the District Head’s Decree has never been physically seen, either by the people or by the organizations accompanying them so the truth of whether there is such a Decree by the District Head has not yet been proved.
At this time, the TTS District Head, Drs.Daniel Banunaek, is in Germany so that the people must wait until he returns on 9 September 2006 to confirm the truth of this decree and at the same time request the government to take responsibility for it.
6 September 2006
The attitude of PT Teja Sekawan that is determined to continue making an access road for the mining has given rise to restlessness among the people. Nevertheless they continue to carry out their actions. Today the group of women are demonstrating at the mining site, directly confronting the workers of PT Teja Sekawan.
The company clearly intends to continue intimidating the people and bait their anger, especially the men. However, intimidation, provocation and summons by the police are nothing new to the people of Mollo. Since their land has been pawned [confiscated?] by the district government for the mining industry, they have had their fill with the rotten coalition of the entrepreneur and officials such as this.
At this time the people are focusing their attention on continuing to carry out actions of rejection and making efforts to stop the excavator from working.
Plans for the future
actions by the people at the mining sitecritical discussionsactions by the people and NGOs at the District Parliamentpress conference – to gain support through local-national media coverageupdates regarding the resistance process to be posted online at http://rakyatmollo.blogspot.com
Needed: Solidarity from the Resistance Network! Petition Support
First, you/your organization can help the resistance action of the people of Mollo by signing the petition below and distributing it for the signatures by many other people!
Logistics Support for Resistance Actions
Another form of solidarity you/your organization can provide is in the form of financial support for the logistics of resistance actions by the people of Mollo. At this time, to organize the people, funds are very needed for the costs of communication and transportation whereas the people support themselves by covering consumption costs for participants of protest actions.

Financial support can be sent to the account of The A’Toimamus Organisation (OAT):
Bank BNI 46 Cabang Kupang in the name of Aleta Baun
Account No. 00-44-78-30-91
Accountability for the use of collected funds will be shared in weekly reports online at http://rakyatmollo.blogspot.com
To facilitate accountability, it is hoped financial support for logistic expenses related to resistance actions will be received before 6 October 2006.

For your support for the resistance actions of the people of Mollo, we, as an organisation that works and protests together with the people of Mollo, say thank you.

Peace in the struggle,

Aleta Baun

A’Taimamus Organisation (OAT)
[1] John Ola and Sammy Sanam.
[2] Arifin and Eliaser (only Eliaser attended the meeting with the District Parliament).
[3] FPR is managed by a former member of the TTS District Youth Forum (Forda TTS), a local advocacy group.3[4] This is not a new person for OAT. He confessed he did not know what he signed.

Posted by Ayoe at 9:16 PM | | Comments (0)

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