Indonesia: SPI calls for urgent solidarity with imprisoned peasant leader
by La Via Campesina
URGENTLY SEEKING SOLIDARITY FROM SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND CIVIL SOCIETY!
10 JULY 2020
RELEASE JUNAWAL BIN SUKINO, THE DEFENDER OF AGRARIAN REFORM!
On May 26, 2020, police arrested Mr Junawal Bin Sukino, Chairperson of
Serikat Petani Indonesia's (SPI) Tebo District division, who has been at
the forefront of the struggle against eviction in Napal Putih Village,
which falls in the Jambi province of Indonesia. Napal Putih is a village
built through the collective efforts of peasant families, enabled by the
Agrarian Reform program of the Indonesian government. Police have
accused Junawal of setting fire to five units of heavy equipment owned
by PT Lestari Asri Jaya (PT LAJ) - a subsidiary company of PT. Barito
Pacific (Indonesia) and the Michelin Group (France) - on May 14, 2019.
However, what these arrest discount are the countless violations carried
out by PT LAJ in the region, in the name of sustainable rubber
plantation.
Since 2012, SPI Peasants in Tebo Regency, Jambi Province, have been
protesting large scale land encroachment by PT LAJ. This company has a
permit area of 61,495 hectares and has received funding from Tropical
Landscapes Financial Facilities (TLFF), a partnership between the UN
Environment, World Agroforestry Centre, ADM Capital and BNP Paribas.
Under a US$ 95 million Sustainability Bond [1], this partnership
finances a sustainable natural rubber plantation in two provinces in
Indonesia, one of them in the Jambi province. Since May 2018, PT LAJ
carries out forestry plantation at Bukit Tigabuluh National Park (TNBT).
Peasants allege that in the name of "natural rubber plantations" and
forestry what is indeed happening is large scale corporate land
grabbing, with the backing of international institutions.
In Tebo, Napal Putih is among the many villages built and maintained by
peasant families organised under Serikat Petani Indonesia (SPI). Over
the years, the peasant union (SPI) has made significant steps towards
ensuring people's food sovereignty. Here, the peasant families have
created a self-sustaining ecosystem where they grow crops through
agroecological methods. The union has also built houses, schools, places
of worship and developed a local peasant market and distribution system
run by local people-led cooperatives. PT LAJ's acquisition in the region
is derailing years of efforts of the peasant families in creating a
self-sustaining livelihood mechanism. Instead of holding the Corporation
accountable, the local authorities have arrested and criminalised a
young leader of the union.
Serikat Petani Indonesia, one among the prominent peasant unions in the
country, has organised several mobilisations, demanding Junawal's
release and dismissal of all charges against him. One such
demonstration, held outside the Police headquarters in Tebo district,
had nearly 4000 peasants participating in it. As a movement of peasant
families across Indonesia, Serikat Petani Indonesia is firm on its
demand and is seeking solidarity from social movements within and
outside the country to stand with us, until Junawal is released and
until PT LAJ withdraws from its operations in the region. We appeal to
our sisters and brothers around the world to step up the pressure on
local authorities and alert this violation to global institutions.
THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS IN WHICH YOU COULD HELP EXPRESS YOUR SOLIDARITY;
* Organisations/Individuals could prepare a letter of solidarity
addressed to the Government of Indonesia as well as the French Embassy
in Indonesia, and echo the demands of Serikat Petani Indonesia.
* In your phone, you could record a video/audio message of solidarity
and
THE MESSAGES, AS ALREADY STATED, COULD ECHO OUR TWO MAIN DEMANDS;
* Release Junawal immediately and dismiss all the charges against him
* PT LAJ should be held accountable for large scale land grabbing and
should immediately withdraw from the region.
Please send these messages before July 12, 2020, by email to
spi(a)spi.or.id .Let us truly globalise our struggles and globalise our
hope for a better, and just world that respects people's food
sovereignty.
-------------------------
SERIKAT PETANI INDONESIA
09 JULY 2020
_Further information: Zainal Arifin Fuat - +62 812 8932 1398 /
zainal(a)spi.or.id_
Links:
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[1]
https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/financing-na...
4 years, 6 months
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La Via Campesina condemns the colonialist annexation plan in Palestine
by La Via Campesina
LA VIA CAMPESINA CONDEMNS THE COLONIALIST ANNEXATION PLAN IN PALESTINE
2 JULY 2020 INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY [1], PEASANTS' RIGHTS [2]
_"Peasants and other people working in rural areas have the right to be
protected against arbitrary and unlawful displacement from their land or
place of habitual residence, or from other natural resources used in
their activities and necessary for the enjoyment of adequate living
conditions..." _ - Article 17.4 of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of
Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas[1] [3]
(Harare, July 2, 2020) Steadfast in our solidarity with all those who
struggle for Food Sovereignty and the full realization of peasants'
rights, La Via Campesina expresses our unwavering support for the
Palestinian people and peasant movement united against U.S.-backed
Israeli attempts to annex the vital lands, waters, and territories of
occupied Palestine's Area C. On behalf of our 200 million members
organized in 182 local and national organisations around the world, La
Via Campesina adds our voice to global opposition[2] [4] to Israel's
illegal annexation plans and reiterates our demand for an end to the
entire Israeli occupation.
_"In the Palestinian context, the issue of Food Sovereignty is of great
importance, considering the Israeli military occupation that has full
control over Palestinian natural resources, including land, water,
pastures, and fisheries." [3] [5]_
THE CRIMINAL ANNEXATION OF PALESTINE'S BREADBASKET
Israel's occupation of Palestine has included, since 1967, a system of
control whereby natural resources are appropriated and exploited for the
benefit of Israelis at the expense of Palestinian lives and livelihoods.
It has created increasingly unlivable conditions for Palestinians in the
occupied territories in order to force them to relocate and allow Israel
to permanently annex lands, waters and territories. In the Jordan
Valley, for example, unlivable conditions led to a significant drop of
the Palestinian population over the past several decades - from 320,000
in 1967 to only 58,239 today[4] [6]. According to the Palestinian
Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, the Jordan
Valley "is the most fertile and resource-rich area of the West Bank,
with key land reserves for natural expansion. It is known for its rich
agricultural production, warm climate, abundant water resources, and
also attracts tourism with over 80 historical and cultural sites".
During July 2020, the Israeli government intends to push through an
illegal annexation of 30% of the occupied West Bank and roughly 50% of
Area C - Palestinian territory under full Israeli administrative and
security control as per the Oslo Accords. Area A - administered
exclusively by the Palestinian Authority - makes up only 18% of the West
Bank while Area B - supposedly under Palestinian civil control and joint
Israeli-Palestinian security control - makes up about 21% of the same
area. Area C, meanwhile, includes over 61% of the West Bank, runs
between both Areas A and B, and is under complete Israeli control,
including security, planning, and zoning. As part of Oslo I and Oslo II,
the entirety of Areas A, B, and C were supposed to be under the full
governance of the Palestinian Authority before the year 2000 but respect
for the Palestinian Right to Self Determination has not materialized, to
say the least[5] [7].
The Jordan Valley, as noted above, is considered the breadbasket of the
future Palestinian state. It contains vital land and water resources for
the natural expansion of Palestinian towns and cities and Palestinian
agriculture industries. It has the richest water resources in the whole
of the West Bank and is essential for the lives and livelihoods of most
Palestinian farmers, their families and urban fellows. In short, Its
annexation would gravely violate the rights of all Palestinians -
especially its peasant farmers. Israel already controls most of the
water resources in the area, causing Palestinians in the Jordan Valley,
especially those in Area C, to suffer from water inaccessibility.[6] [8]
By blocking access to land, water and territory, Israel is attempting to
consolidate its control over Palestinians' food production and prevent
any attempt towards self-sufficiency, Food Sovereignty, and
disengagement with the occupation economy.
La Via Campesina stands in solidarity with our member organization in
Palestine - the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) - and calls
on friends and allies alike to join us in denouncing the U.S.-backed
Israeli Annexation Plan. We consider it an explicit violation of
international law, including the UN Declaration on Peasants Rights, and
point to its prevention of people from accessing their own natural
resources such as land and water, producing their own food and choosing
the most sustainable, resilient, productive, diverse, locally
appropriate food system that suits them.
WE CALL ON THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND ALL WHO STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN
RIGHTS TO:
- Take urgent and effective actions to reject the US proposition which
is in violation of UN resolutions and stop Israeli plans of illegal
annexations in Area C. The UN itself, together with the international
community, must act immediately to halt Israel's annexation plans,
defend the rights of Palestinians, and uphold both international law and
UN credibility;
- Take decisive action, including employing all available lawful
countermeasures to uphold accountability in order to halt further
annexation and severance of Palestinian territorial integrity and ensure
rapid reversal of those measures announced or already implemented.
-------------------------
[1] https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/73/165 [9]
[2]
https://www.eccpalestine.org/un-rights-experts-call-for-global-opposition...
[10]
[3] [11]
https://viacampesina.org/en/declaration-of-the-international-conference-o...
[4] [12] http://www.passia.org/maps/view/74
[5] [13] Union of Agricultural Work Committees: "Reality of
Area C: A human rights perspective", 2019.
[6] [14] Union of Agricultural Work Committees: "Factsheet 1-
Current Status of Jordan Valley", 2019.
Links:
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[1]
https://viacampesina.org/en/what-are-we-fighting-for/international-solida...
[2] https://viacampesina.org/en/what-are-we-fighting-for/human-rights/
[3]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[4]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[5]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[6]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[7]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[8]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[9] https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/73/165
[10]
https://www.eccpalestine.org/un-rights-experts-call-for-global-opposition...
[11]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[12]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[13]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
[14]
https://viacampesina.org/en/la-via-campesina-condemns-israelis-annexation...
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