Indonesia: A new presidential regulation threatens the access to land and productive resources of more than 500.000 informal land owners in different parts of Indonesia (e.g Jakarta, Bogor, Depok Tangerang and Bekasi)

More than 500 000 poor people are threatened to get forced off their land and thereby lose their only means of subsistence. By its new Presidential Regulation No.36/2005, the Indonesian Government has widened its possibilities to revoke land titles and acquire the land for public projects. Such evictions are planned for implementing the East Jakarta Canal project (affecting 500 000 people), the Pluit Dam project in Muara Baru (affecting 30 000 people) and the double-track railway project Manggarai-Jatinegara-Cakung-Bekasi (affecting 1700 families). There is a great risk that the implementation of the said regulation will threaten the access to land and productive resources for many landless and smallholders, because they will not be covered by an adequate compensation.  

An urgent action is needed in order to guarantee that expropriations follow due process and do not violate people’s human rights to an adequate living and threaten the victims’ only means of subsistence. Please, send a formal letter to the president of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, asking him to withdraw the Presidential Regulation No. 36/2005 and to guarantee adequate compensation and due process for all in case of displacements.