PAPUA – Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Ribka Haluk, emphasized that the development of 2 million hectares of food estate in Merauke, South Papua, aims for the good of the community. “It is also for the good of the community,” she said when met at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Jakarta, Friday (20/12/2024).
Ribka said the food estate is run for national food security and will definitely have an impact on the local community. However, she does not deny that there are communities affected by the development of food estates. This happened because their customary rights were turned into planting fields.
To overcome this, Rebekah said the government would not remain silent. The government will open a dialog with the local community.
“We have facilitated through the governor, because the governor is an extension of the central government in the region. I think, it’s normal. Satisfied or dissatisfied, it will continue like that. But the work is already underway and there is also the involvement of indigenous people there,” she added.
Ribka said many local youths actually benefited from the creation of jobs in this food estate project. “They also get income, they get paid for their work, and so on,” she added.
Ribka emphasized that the government does not necessarily take land for certain groups. “If there are people who are not satisfied, we, the government, are responsible for mediating,” she said.
Previously, the National Human Rights Commission said that the food estate project has the potential to eliminate the land rights of local residents. Therefore, Komnas HAM requested a more in-depth dialog between the government and local communities in the development of the 2 million hectare food estate.
The government has socialized the national food estate project in Merauke, South Papua. The Commander of the BKO Food Security Task Force of the Ministry of Agriculture, Major General Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani, visited the people of Kampung Wogikel and Kampung Wanam, Wanam District, Merauke on Thursday (12/9/2024). In front of the residents, Ahmad Rizal emphasized that the 1 million hectare rice field program is a national strategic program. “The development of 1 million hectares of rice fields in Merauke is a national strategic program and is not an investment or private project because everything is financed and done on behalf of the state,” Ahmad Rizal said.
