The conflict issue that arose due to the construction of the Mbay Lambo Reservoir National Strategic Project (PSN) in Nagekeo Regency, East Flore for Penlok 1 has not yet been resolved, in September 2024 it has been continued with Penlok 2. Even in several other areas such as Merauke, South Papua, it is currently being threatened by the planned construction of the National Strategic Project (PSN) food estate in the form of agricultural land concessions, sugarcane plantations and bioethanol factories. This development will require 2.29 million hectares of land or equivalent to 70 times the area of Jakarta.
Just like the Mbay Lambo Reservoir PSN which is expected to improve planting patterns and rice productivity, the Food Estate PSN also aims to improve national food security as a contributor to national food stocks. This noble ideal, in practice, has given rise to many social problems, especially for indigenous peoples who live on the land used for the development project.
Indigenous Peoples are those who have lived in an area for generations and have sovereignty over the land and its natural resources. Meanwhile, PSN is often implemented in areas that are their living space, such as the construction of the Mbay Lambo Reservoir which was built on the land of the Redu Tribe indigenous people in Rendu Butowe Village, Ulupulu Village, and Labolewa Village. As well as the construction of a food estate that threatens the living land of indigenous people in Merauke Regency, South Papua.
Last August 2024, PARTNERSHIP through the Estungkara program do activities journalist visit together with 7 national media to see how the National Strategic Project for the Mbay Lambo Reservoir in Nagekeo Regency, East Nusa Tenggara has an impact on the communities around the development.
"We actually want to stay here. We have rejected the construction of this reservoir from the start because it will damage our cultural traditions here. Land, agricultural land, gardens and pastures for grazing livestock are gone. We have even lost the raw materials to make woven fabrics and weaving because our forests have been cleared," said Hermina Mawa, a resident and indigenous community of the Redu Tribe in Rendu Butowe Village when met by a visiting journalist group.
During the visit and interaction with the community, many complained about the construction of the reservoir because it had an impact on how they would continue their lives in the future. The following are five things that can be seen from the impact of the construction of the Lambo Reservoir PSN which are also generally experienced by indigenous peoples affected by the PSN.
1. Loss of Living Space as an Indigenous Community
Indigenous people are the best guardians of natural resources and their customary forests. Since ancient times, they have lived and settled in the region and depend entirely on the results of the resources produced in their region. Just like the residents of Rendu Butowe Village who depend on their fields for their livelihoods, starting from planting rice, cassava, corn, to long-lived plants. The results of this farming are not only for daily needs, but they also sell the excess to the city to increase their income.
With the presence of PSN that displaces them, the location that is usually used for farming is lost. Not a few eventually switch professions by looking for work in the city or even lose their livelihoods because they have no other skills. Even the compensation "replacement profit" given is not able to cover the losses experienced by indigenous people. They eventually have to move to another area and start a new life.
2. Loss of Indigenous Peoples' Livelihoods
The loss of living space certainly has an indirect impact on the livelihoods of indigenous people. In addition to living space, they also lose their livelihoods, the majority of which are working in the fields and farming. Those who have worked in the fields all their lives are forced to change direction to find work in the city because there is no more land that they can cultivate. For indigenous women, this condition is a double burden. The reason is that they do not have free space to move like men, so they often do not have the same opportunities as men.
However, for indigenous women in Nagekeo Regency, they have weaving as one of their survival strategies. The yellow color symbolizes gold and black symbolizes the earth, which is a typical pattern in the woven fabrics of the indigenous people in Nagekeo.
3. Damage to Social Relations of Indigenous Communities
Indigenous peoples live together communally and are bound by customary rules that have been closely established for hundreds of years. The impact of PSN through the “compensation” scheme provided by the government in practice also damages the pattern of relations between indigenous peoples. In the case of the PSN Mbay Lambo Reservoir in Nagekeo Regency, a number of social relations conflicts emerged due to pros and cons related to the acceptance and rejection of development, mutual claims of land for the compensation money; and jealousy because until now no one has received the “compensation”.
"Previously there was no conflict. After receiving this compensation, a conflict arose among those who supported the development. Many young people dared to fight the traditional elders just to get compensation," said the Nakabane Tribe Chief when met by the visiting KEMITRAAN journalist team.
4. Loss of Customs and Culture of Indigenous Communities
Indigenous communities are closely related to tradition and ritual. In carrying out the ritual process, the use of certain plant commodities that are usually taken from the forest and water is never separated from the ritual process. Like the Tau Ae ritual, which is a ritual of bathing in the river that must be carried out by a father whose daughter is growing up and entering the time to get married. This ritual is a symbol of self-cleansing. The river that is usually used to carry out this ritual is also affected by the construction of the Mbay Lambo Reservoir.
In addition, the ritual process also uses tools made from natural materials, such as wicker. The materials for making the wicker are now increasingly rare because they are made from palm leaves whose growing locations will also be submerged in reservoirs.
5. Ecological Damage
The main objective of PSN is to increase development through economic growth. However, it has backfired, where it often causes environmental damage. Environmental damage can increase greenhouse gas emissions, which cumulatively increases the ecological crisis. This ecological crisis reflects the imbalance in the relationship between humans and nature that is already very severe. Indigenous peoples as the frontline guardians of nature and forests are the ones who feel the impact directly.
The existence of indigenous peoples who live in harmony with nature with their local wisdom, is an important key to environmental preservation. Many of their traditional values and practices actually support environmental sustainability. Their closeness to nature makes them much more aware of ecological balance.
"Hopefully nature will not be angry, if the forest is lost, the plants will be lost," said Mateus Bhui, Head of Woe Dhiri Ke'o, Redu Tribe, Indigenous Community in Rendu Butowe Village when talking to a team of journalists.
The important role of indigenous peoples in reality often gets challenged by the government itself. Under the guise of development programs to improve the economy and investment, in practice the land and natural resources managed by indigenous peoples are actually seized and threaten traditions and ecological balance.
Not only the PSN for the construction of the Mbay Lambo Reservoir in Nagekeo, the PSN Food Estate that is currently being started in Merauke is also facing challenges from indigenous communities and civil society organizations. The five impacts mentioned above can also occur at future development project locations. If the goal of the National Strategic Project is to improve food security, welfare and the economy, then why in practice does it ignore the social rights of individuals who have long been sovereign in the region?
