The Government Ensures That Land Measurement For The Bener Reservoir Project In Wadas Village Continues

Menko Polhukam Mahud MD/DOK VOI-Nailin In Saroh

JAKARTA - The government has ensured that land measurements in Wadas Village, Purworejo, Central Java will still be carried out even though it has caused conflicts. The team from the National Land Agency will again measure the land for the construction of the Bener Reservoir which is a National Strategic Project.

"Soil surveying activities by officers from the Central Java BPN Regional Office will continue but will continue with measurable security assistance through a persuasive and dialogical approach," said Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD in a press conference broadcast on The Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs YouTube, Wednesday, February 9th.

Mahfud said that later the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) would also be involved in a persuasive approach to the community in Wadas Village. This step, he continued, needed to be done because of intimidation involving two different groups of residents, those who were pro and the contra.

"What I got from Komnas HAM's statement was that there was mutual intimidation in the community itself involving two different groups of citizens, some were pro, some were against as usual. What is the cause, namely about the dam," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK). .

Mahfud explained that the reservoir, which became a strategic project, was actually built to meet the interests of the people, especially residents of Central Java and its surroundings. Moreover, the Bener Reservoir can drain 15,000 hectares of rice fields, power sources, and overcome flooding.

However, unfortunately there are people who do not agree even though some have agreed to carry out construction and even mining of andesite in Wadas Village. The andesite mining is carried out to meet the needs for the construction of the Bener Reservoir.

With this condition, the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, will come down to the community for dialogue. In particular, the residents of Wadas Village who reject the plan for the construction of the Bener Reservoir and the mining of wadas stone.

"Indeed, others still do not agree. Therefore, in order for the mining and dam construction to run smoothly and continue to be supported by the community, the Governor of Central Java will hold a dialogue with the residents of Wadas Village who still reject the planned mining activity with facilitation by Komnas HAM," he said.

Mahfud emphasized that the residents' refusal would not affect the national project development plan. The reason is that there is no law violation committed by the government in the development plan and the mining of the andesite stone.

Moreover, residents who refuse have actually filed a lawsuit to the State Administrative Court up to an cassation to the Supreme Court. However, all claims were rejected.

"This means that the government's program is correct, so the case has been inkracht for a long time and has permanent legal force. Likewise, the instrument called environmental impact analysis or Amdal has been fulfilled so that there are no problems here that are violated," he concluded.