Merauke Residents Protest to Deputy Minister of Human Rights

One of the representatives of the indigenous community from Merauke conveyed a protest before the Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mugiyanto Sipin, on March 14, 2025. He stated that the government has so far seemed reluctant to take action against human rights violations in Merauke. According to him, the National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke has caused suffering for the indigenous community.

The protest was delivered during the Merauke Solidarity Consolidation event, held at the Petrus Vertenten MSC Center on Jalan Raya Cigombong, Kelapa Lima Village, Merauke District, South Papua, from March 11 to 14, 2025. In response to the protest, Mugiyanto stated that he would forward the community's input and coordinate with the relevant ministries and agencies involved in the PSN program.

The Merauke Solidarity Consolidation event was attended by more than 250 people, including representatives from NGOs and indigenous communities affected by PSN across Indonesia. Attending NGOs included Bentala Pusaka, YLBHI, Walhi, the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), Trend Asia, KPA, and LBH.

The event also included representatives from communities affected by the food estate project in North Sumatra, Central Kalimantan, Keerom in Papua, Merauke and Mappi in South Papua. Additionally, communities affected by the PSN Rempang Eco City project in the Riau Islands and the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) project in East Kalimantan were also present.

Other attendees included victims of the PSN geothermal project in Poco Leok, East Nusa Tenggara, and the extractive industry projects for energy plantations and bioenergy in Jambi. Communities affected by PSN in Fakfak and Bintuni Bay in West Papua, as well as those impacted by palm oil plantation expansion across Papua, also participated.

Merauke, the host of the consolidation event, is currently facing PSN expansion involving the clearing of 2 million hectares of land. This project, initiated under President Joko Widodo, is now being continued by President Prabowo Subianto. The large-scale land clearing has had a significant impact on indigenous communities and poses a threat to the sustainability of Papua's forests.

PSN has been implemented in various regions of Indonesia since 2016. Since then, numerous issues have arisen as the project has displaced indigenous communities from their customary lands. Moreover, PSN has caused extensive environmental and forest degradation.

A report by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) states that PSN has led to various forms of human rights violations. The project has also bypassed numerous legal norms and regulations, resulting in the obstruction and violation of human rights.

The implementation of PSN has been carried out without involving local communities, ultimately triggering agrarian conflicts. The repressive approach in PSN conflict areas has further added to the record of human rights violations in Indonesia.

Warga Merauke Protes ke Wakil Menteri Hak Asasi Manusia

Salah satu perwakilan masyarakat adat dari Merauke menyampaikan protes di hadapan Wakil Menteri Hak Asasi Manusia Mugiyanto Sipin pada 14 Maret 2025. Dia mengatakan bahwa selama ini pemerintah terkesan enggan melakukan upaya penindakan terhadap pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Merauke. Menurut dia, Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) yang di Merauke menyebabkan masyarakat adat menderita. 

Protes tersebut disampaikan di sela acara Konsolidasi Solidaritas Merauke yang diadakan di Petrus Vertenten MSC center, Jalan Raya Cigombong, Kampung Kelapa Lima, Kecamatan Merauke, Papua Selatan pada 11-14 Maret 2025. Menanggapi protes tersebut, Mugiyanto mengatakan akan meneruskan masukan dari masyarakat sekaligus akan berkoordinasi dengan kementerian dan lembaga yang terkait program PSN.

Acara Konsolidasi Solidaritas Merauke dihadiri lebih dari 250 orang dari perwakilan NGO dan masyarakat adat korban PSN dari seluruh Indonesia. NGO yang hadir antara lain Bentala Pusaka, YLBHI, Walhi, Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara, Trend Asia, KPA dan LBH.

Sedangkan perwakilan masyarakat yang hadir di acara tersebut adalah masyarakat terdampak proyek food estate di Sumatera Utara, Kalimantan Tengah, Keerom - Papua, Merauke dan Mappi, Papua Selatan. Kemudian masyarakat terdampak PSN proyek Rempang Eco City di Kepulauan Riau dan proyek Ibu Kota Negara (IKN) Nusantara di Kalimantan Timur. 

Juga ada masyarakat korban PSN proyek geothermal Poco Leok di Nusa Tenggara Timur dan proyek industri ekstraktif hutan tanaman energi dan bioenergi di Jambi. Kemudian masyarakat korban PSN di Fakfak dan Teluk Bintuni, Papua Barat, serta ekspansi perkebunan sawit di seluruh tanah Papua. 

Merauke yang menjadi tuan rumah konsolidasi tersebut saat ini sedang menghadapi ekspansi PSN berupa pembukaan lahan seluas 2 juta hektare. Proyek tersebut adalah warisan Presiden Joko Widodo yang kini diteruskan oleh Presiden Prabowo Subianto. Pembukaan lahan secara masif itu berdampak luas terhadap masyarakat adat sekaligus mengancam kelestarian hutan Papua.

PSN mulai dijalankan di berbagai daerah di Indonesia sejak 2016. Sejak saat itu berbagai persoalan muncul karena proyek ini menyebabkan masyarakat adat terusir dari tanah ulayat mereka. Selain itu, PSN juga menyebabkan kerusakan hutan dan lingkungan secara masif.

Laporan Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia (Komnas HAM) menyebutkan PSN menimbulkan pelbagai bentuk pelanggaran hak asasi manusia. PSN juga telah menerabas banyak norma dan ketentuan perundang-undangan, hingga berimbas pada penghalangan dan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia.

Pelaksanaan PSN juga dilakukan tanpa pelibatan rakyat yang pada akhirnya memicu konflik agraria. Pendekatan represif di wilayah PSN yang berkonflik terus menambah catatan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Indonesia.