Residents Evicted From Villages In Bali For Not Having Vaccination, Police Mediation

BADUNG - Badung, Bali Police Chief, AKBP Roby Septiadi, said the man with the initials FWS had reported a case of eviction from his home. FWS admitted that the Gulingan Traditional Village had been evicted because they had not been vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Yesterday we just received a report in the form of a public complaint regarding the presence of residents whose language was not actually expelled. However, this resident feels that he has been evicted because the person concerned does not want to be vaccinated. He refuses to be vaccinated without good reason", said AKBP Roby when contacted on Wednesday, July 28.

According to AKBP Roby, the obligation of the citizens to vaccinate is regulated by the village government by the government program. Moreover, the COVID-19 vaccination continues to be a national program.

"It turns out that the person concerned (FWS) does not want to be vaccinated, but we will first examine how to handle it", he added.

Police said AKBP Roby would mediate both parties. We will discuss the root of the problem that led to the expulsion of FWS.

"We will mediate first, then we will see how it develops. We will see to what extent there are legal rules that are binding on this matter. Because, in Balinese tradition, there is a traditional village", he said.

According to him, Traditional Villages have always been able to preserve culture and within the strata of Balinese society. This traditional village does influence the Balinese people and all the people who come to Bali.

“From us, the police appeal to the whole community, let us, where the earth is stepped on, the sky is upheld. If indeed, there are binding rules where we can live in the environment, if it's my personal opinion, just follow it", he said.

Meanwhile, the Gulingan Village Customary Officer, I Made Giri Asta, called the village agreement 'expulsion' because FWS refused to be vaccinated. Last June, the village had informed the residents of the invitation for vaccination at the Banjar hall.

"I don't want to be vaccinated until the government provides health and life guarantees to vaccine users. Can it be ascertained what type of vaccine is a clinical trial? On human genetics?" That was answered according to what was in WhatsApp", said Asta reading the contents of the short message from FWS to him.

Asta said the officers had repeatedly educated and invited FWS and his wife to participate in mass vaccinations, but failed.

"We went there to provide an understanding to immediately vaccinate if we don't want to be vaccinated because we are sick to show a sick statement from the doctor. So we are given time for the head office (villages level) to complete it and he doesn't complete it. Finally, the Babinsa (Village Pembina Bintara) and Kamtibmas (community security and order) came back to explain so that the person concerned wanted to be vaccinated properly," he said.

The village finally held a meeting to take a stand on the rejection of FWS. The customary village decided to impose pararem or customary village law in the form of expelling FWS from the village. This is for environmental safety.

"To follow up on this, we held a sudden meeting and it was decided for Mr. Feri to be expelled from the Banjar, Central Kaler Service. This is a consideration for environmental security. After that he experienced resistance and did not want to be vaccinated and wanted to follow the Regulation of the Minister of Home Affairs and the letters of the Head of the Village Government like that", he said

Meanwhile, FWS denied refusing to participate in the vaccination. But he refused to reveal the reason for not being vaccinated against COVID-19.

"There is no language I oppose, there is no I refuse to be vaccinated, I want to be vaccinated. Remember, I want to be vaccinated", he said.

He expressed his objection to being expelled by the Traditional Village because it was contrary to Presidential Regulation Number 2021 regarding Vaccine Procurement related to COVID-19.

In the Presidential Decree, residents who do not want to take part in the COVID-19 vaccination will be given a delay or termination of administrative services up to a fine.

"If I am given a sanction by the government, I am ready, I am ready to be fined by the president, I am ready because it is the government. But if this regulation does not lead to a presidential decision", he said.