Residents Desperate for Mass Harvest of Palm Oil, Central Kalimantan Police Apply Article on Theft

East Kotawaringin Resort Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Sarpani, Wednesday (17/4/2024), said that the seven people sold their stolen palm oil to a collector who was not far from the company. "We also confiscated six dump trucks, six fruit delivery DO sheets, and six weighing sheets," he said, Wednesday.

The suspects were charged under Article 363 of the Criminal Code (KUHP). Apart from that, they are also subject to Article 55 and/or Article 56 of the Criminal Code for helping and facilitating the main suspect in this case. The police imposed Article 480 of the Criminal Code on the collector who bought the palm oil stolen by the seven people.

Head of Public Relations at the Central Kalimantan Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Erlan Munaji, said that the police in East Kotawaringin were taking measured action. Due to the rampant palm oil theft, the police have carried out large-scale patrols in East Kotawaringin.

"We assigned a company of personnel from the Kotim Police to carry out large-scale patrols in the company area so that there would be no more theft of oil palm fruit," said Erlan.

While patrolling, the police reminded the community not to steal oil palm fruit as it is illegal and punishable. "We hope that there will be no more theft of oil palm fruit in the jurisdiction of the Central Kalimantan Regional Police. We also urge the community not to become collectors or recipients of oil palm fruit that have been stolen," said Erlan.

Protest action

In contrast to the police, Director of Save Our Borneo (SOB) Muhammad Habibi said that the actions carried out by the residents were not theft, but rather acts of protest. This is known as the mass harvest movement. There are many factors behind this action. One of them is the demand for plasma plantations which has never been realized by the government. However, the government and police only saw the incident as a criminal act.

"When companies are given permission by the government to operate, there is community land that disappears. That land is their living space to make a living," says Habibi.

In addition, companies come with promises of welfare that have not yet been felt by the community. In the case of Kotawaringin Timur, the community also does not feel the social funds that are the company's obligation, such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.

"The company failed to fulfill its responsibility in allocating plasma lands. Due to this issue, the frustrated community eventually took action," said Habibi.

While patrolling, the police appealed to the public not to steal palm oil fruit because it was against the law and could be punished.

Also read: Governance of Illegal Palm Oil Plantations in Place

A similar case, according to Kompas, also occurred in Seruyan Regency, specifically in Bangkal Village. In Seruyan, the conflict between residents and oil palm plantations resulted in police clashing with the community and killing one of the Bangkal residents. In 2023, a similar incident occurred in West Kotawaringin Regency.

According to Habibi, in cases like this, authorities should use restorative justice to peacefully resolve the issue. This moment can be used by the police to mediate so that the authorities and the government know exactly the reasons behind the mass harvest.

"They are not thieves who sneak around in their actions, everything is done openly because this is a protest action, not just an economic necessity," said Habibi.

The residents' action proves that they are desperate because they can no longer meet their livelihood needs. The mass harvest also indicates that there are still many unresolved issues between the company and the surrounding community.

"If it's just crimes, prisons will be full because this doesn't stop. "And prison doesn't solve the real problem either," said Habibi.

Also read: The Work of the Palm Oil Task Force Awaited Conflict in Central Kalimantan Has the Potential to Heat Up