Rejecting Relocation Of Residents From TNTN, Commission XIII Of The House Of Representatives Encourages Land Conflict In Riau To Be A Priority For The Agrarian Special Committee

A number of tame Sumatran elephants assisted by the Flying Squad Team are in the forest in Tesso Nilo National Park/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Commission XIII of the DPR firmly rejects the plan to relocate residents living in the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) area, Pelalawan Regency, Riau.

Deputy Chairman of Commission XIII of the House of Representatives, Sugiat Santoso, said that the relocation effort was a violation of human rights (HAM).

This was conveyed by Sugiat in a hearing (RDP) of Commission XIII of the DPR with a number of stakeholders to discuss human rights issues on land policies in Riau Province at the DPR building, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday, September 29.

"Commission XIII of the DPR RI rejects the relocation of residents in the TNTN area of Riau Province for violating human rights," said Sugiat when reading the conclusion of the meeting.

Commission XIII of the DPR also recommends that the Ministry of Human Rights lead cross-institutional coordination, including Komnas HAM, LPSK, and other related institutions, to ensure the settlement of alleged human rights violations that occurred in conflicts of forest and land governance in Riau.

"The House of Representatives Commission XIII has asked the Forest Area Control Task Force (PKH Task Force) not to place state officials, both the TNI and Polri, to deal with the community in resolving land conflicts in the TNTN area," said Sugiat.

He stated that Commission XIII of the DPR would encourage cases of conflicts of land and forest ownership in Riau to be a priority for the Special Committee (Pansus) for the Settlement of Agrarian Conflicts which will be formed at the DPR Plenary Session on October 2, 2025.

"Commission XIII of the DPR RI is committed to seriously overseeing the implementation of the resolution of human rights violations led by the Ministry of Human Rights and legal settlements related to land or forest ownership through the Agrarian Conflict Special Committee," said Sugiat.

In this hearing, Commission XIII of the DPR invited the Director General of Human Rights Services and Compliance at the Ministry of Human Rights Munafrizal Manan, Chairman of the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) Achmadi, Chairman of Komnas HAM Anis Hidayah, and community organizations from Riau Province.

At the forum, the people of Riau submitted complaints of allegations of intimidation, criminalization, and restrictions on access around TNTN. In his presentation, Komnas HAM emphasized indications of human rights violations, especially the right to education and freedom of citizens.

The representative of Pelalawan community, Wandri Simbolon, positively welcomed the DPR's decision to refuse relocation and encourage conflict resolution through a fair mechanism.

"We hope that the government, especially the President, will hear complaints from people who refuse relocation," said Wandri.