Muara Enim, KOTABARI.COM – Residents of Gumai Village, Gelumbang District, Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra, officially filed a complaint letter to the South Sumatra Regional Police (Kapolda Sumsel) on Monday (July 17, 2023). The complaint letter was handed over to the security personnel at the South Sumatra Regional Police, regarding allegations of encroachment and deforestation, as well as suspected land transactions carried out by a group of individuals in Gumai Village within the forest and non-forest utilization areas (APL), particularly in the Gumai Village, Gelumbang District, Muara Enim Regency.
The complaint letter from the residents of Gumai Village regarding the alleged land encroachment was not only addressed to the South Sumatra Regional Police, but also to the Directorate General of Law Enforcement for Environmental and Forestry, the Directorate General of Forestry and Environmental Planning, the Governor of South Sumatra Province, the Provincial Regional Representative Council (DPRD), Pandam II/Sriwijaya Military Command, the South Sumatra Provincial Forestry Agency, the Forest Area Strengthening Office, the Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement and Security Office in Sumatra Region III, as well as the Regent of Muara Enim, the Muara Enim DPRD, the Muara Enim District Police Chief, the Gelumbang Sub-District Head, the Gelumbang Police Sector, and the Gelumbang Military Command.
Following the submission of the complaint letter, Riko and Sudadi, representing the community of Gumai Village, expressed their concerns. They cited the Forestry Law No. 41 of 1999 and the Law on the Prevention of Forest Destruction and Encroachment No. 18 of 2013 as the legal basis for their complaint. They stated that the residents of Gumai Village unanimously agreed to escalate the issue through a formal complaint and attached supporting evidence. They called for decisive actions against those involved and urged the relevant government agencies to conduct on-site investigations to prevent potential conflicts within the community.
They highlighted the rampant unilateral claims made by certain individuals over the land and the illegal sale of APL lands without clear legal documentation. They also pointed out that land clearing activities had taken place in the suspected forest and APL areas without proper permits from the government.
Riko, Sudadi, and other residents of Gumai Village urged the authorities to take immediate action. They emphasized that as residents and natives of Gumai Village, they refuse to be deceived by alleged land transactions occurring in their village, which is progressively depleting due to the greed of certain individuals.
Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Forestry Agency (Kadishut), Pandji Tjahjanto, S.Hut, MSi, accompanied by the Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Forestry Department, Taufik, stated that they would promptly forward the complaint letter to the Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Forestry Agency. Despite being in a meeting, Pandji Tjahjanto personally called Taufik to receive the complaint letter from the residents of Gumai Village and assured that it would be promptly delivered to the appropriate authority.
This situation demonstrates the concern of Gumai Village residents for forest preservation and their efforts to combat illegal encroachments and land transactions. It is hoped that with this complaint, the authorities will take immediate and necessary actions to safeguard the environment and prevent conflicts within the community.