The Lambo Reservoir National Strategy Project in Nagekeo Regency or Lambo Reservoir PSN is a long-planned project. The discourse on this development has been around for 24 years under the name Mbai Reservoir. However, this issue disappeared because the indigenous people rejected the presence of the development. This project was only really built in 2022 during the era of President Joko Widodo. The development of the Lambo Reservoir was planned to provide raw water needs, irrigation, flood control, and tourism.
The presence of the Lambo Reservoir PSN has caused the loss of 499.44 hectares of land belonging to indigenous peoples in three communities, namely Rendu, Ndora, and Lambo. Living space in indigenous areas, such as agricultural land, grazing fields, residential areas, rivers, and forests, were seized for the construction of this large-scale reservoir.
Indigenous communities also lost various commodity crops such as candlenut, coconut, cashew, cocoa, coffee, and vanilla that functioned as sources of cash income. In addition, subsistence crops such as fruits, coconuts, areca nuts, various types of tubers, vegetables, and traditional medicinal plants that supported the sustainability of life were also lost. Ritual sites and ancestral graves were also lost.
The compensation given by the government is only in the form of compensation rights, and not all of them have been realized. Other rights such as relocation rights and reconciliation rights have not been handled seriously by the government. Concerns about the future life of the next generation and a strong desire to maintain family and brotherhood values have encouraged the Rendu indigenous community (Malapoma Hamlet), Rendu Butowe Village, to fight for relocation rights to the village government. The number of people affected in this village reached 389 people, consisting of 189 men and 200 women.
Based on the aspirations of the indigenous community, the village government facilitated the formation of a Relocation Committee in December 2022. Through a village deliberation forum, the relocation site was agreed upon in Bo'a Dona. Over time, dynamics continued to occur in the community, both internally and externally. This situation gave rise to various problems, such as claims to customary land and community land. This had an impact on the relocation process that had been planned and agreed upon in the village deliberation forum. The relocation committee tasked with ensuring the relocation work finally gave up and went on hiatus.
Indigenous women in Rendu who are members of the Daily Management of the PEREMPUAN AMAN Pejuang Tanah Rendu Community (PHKom Petar) realize that they come from the same ancestors. So that the sense of family and sisterhood that has been established so far can no longer happen if they have to relocate to different places. Struggle after struggle was carried out to demand their rights as a community affected by the construction of the Lambo Reservoir. In early 2023, the struggle of indigenous women was present to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples. Both the land and the assets in it.
In March 2023, in Focus Group Discussion (FGD), Mama Martina Ngoe emphasized that the government only counted the existing plants. But did not take into account the productive age of the plants. "If we were still here, we could continue to harvest every year. Many plants are not counted," she said. In May, indigenous women took action again by initiating the FGD. This discussion involved the village government and all affected communities to present data from surveys of affected community assets and spatial mapping.
The struggle of indigenous women then continued when they saw the vacuum of the relocation committee. In September 2023, the PHKom Petar management conducted an exploration with the relocation committee, village government, BPD management, head of the rejection forum, traditional leaders, and community leaders to discuss the continuation of the relocation planning. "Talking about relocation has actually been included in the village program, namely the development of the Rendu Butowe settlement and the committee has been formed. So that the committee should have full responsibility for the relocation. Unfortunately, there are currently claims here and there. So until today there has been no further work from the committee," explained Mr. Bernadinus Gaso, head of the rejection forum.
Through intensive discussions, dialogues, and lobbying, the Rendu indigenous women succeeded in encouraging and urging the village government and the relocation committee to return to work. The efforts made by the indigenous women finally paid off. On October 2, 2023, the relocation committee and the village government held an internal meeting to continue the committee's work. On October 9-10, 2023, the relocation committee together with the village government and the RT head in Malapoma Hamlet carried out re-measurements according to the results of the agreement at the previous internal meeting.
It did not stop there, the pressure made by indigenous women finally manifested in the distribution of plots for the affected community. On January 25, 2024, the Rendu indigenous community, especially the indigenous community directly affected by the construction of the Lambo Reservoir, held a deliberation facilitated by the village government and the relocation committee. The deliberation aimed to determine the heads of families (KK) who would be relocated and the technicalities of distributing plots to each head of family.
Previously, measurements and numbering had been carried out. From the mutual agreement, the technical division of the plots was by drawing lots. The total number of heads of families accommodated to the relocation location was 111 families with each plot area of 800 m2.
The village government and the relocation committee realized that the Bo'a Dona landscape was a stretch that was partly hilly and steep. Therefore, a process of cleaning and filling and leveling was needed in certain areas using heavy equipment. The village government then tried to build communication with several parties, including the PT that manages the Lambo Reservoir.
However, in building this cooperation, a master plan for the spatial layout of the Bo'a Dona location is needed. "Regarding the proposal that will be submitted to BWS, we are having difficulties because we do not have master plan (spatial planning) of the relocation location. So until today we have not been able to follow up on the proposal to BWS," complained Felix Mala, Secretary of Rendu Butowe Village.
Seeing this need, PEREMPUAN AMAN collaborated with the village government to compile master plan spatial planning. Also discussing the sustainability of the lives of affected communities after the construction of the Lambo Reservoir in a shared meeting room. The meeting room is called Workshops Post-Relocation Life Plan Preparation. Activities workshops This involves the village government, relocation committee, indigenous women, community leaders, young people, and a team from the PEREMPUAN AMAN National Secretariat.
Indigenous women in a post-relocation life plan workshop conveyed their needs in the new location. Mama Rosiana Wonga, head of PHKom Petar, emphasized that before building other infrastructure, land clearing is necessary. This is because the land contour is hilly and uneven. "We also need a weaving house because in the future we will not be able to farm anymore because our land has been seized," she said with a serious expression.
Currently, five houses have been built independently at the Bo'a Dona location. According to Mr. Wilibrodus, chairman of the Rendu Butowe BPD, this number will continue to increase because currently the BPN has written to the village government for the second time so that the community immediately vacate the location. Meanwhile, the Head of Rendu Butowe Village invited the community to think together to prepare for long-term needs and shared welfare while in the relocation settlement. The village head hopes that the community will focus on the prepared agenda and not be distracted by other things that trigger conflicts that hinder the relocation process.