National Human Rights Commission Reveals Dialogue Agreement Regarding Andesite Mining In Wadas Village

JAKARTA - The National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) revealed that people who were pro and contra regarding andesite mining in Wadas Village, Purworejo, Central Java had previously agreed to have a dialogue. However, the dialogue was not carried out because of the deployment of police officers which led to violence on February 8.

This was conveyed by the Head of Komnas HAM, Ahmad Taufan Damanik, before announcing the results of the monitoring and investigation of the alleged excessive use of force in the land measurement process in Wadas Village.

"There was actually an agreement to choose such a dialogue but then a problem arose on February 8", said Taufan as in a press conference that was broadcast online on the Indonesian National Human Rights Commission's YouTube, Thursday, February 24.

He explained that from the beginning Komnas HAM had assisted the residents of Wadas Village, who were divided into two groups, namely those who were pro and contra with mining andesite for the Bener Reservoir project. This step has been taken since 2021 after this institution received complaints from residents.

"By the mandate of the law, Komnas HAM took an initial action to carry out actual mediation at the beginning", said Taufan.

In fact, on January 20, he and Komnas HAM Commissioner, Beka Ulung Hapsara, had time to come to Semarang City, Central Java to meet with residents of Wadas Village. However, this activity was only attended by groups that agreed with the mining process.

"The group of residents who did not agree to vote did not attend. But because the communication was quite intense with Komnas HAM, we decided to continue in Semarang, and then we went to Wadas (to meet the group, ed) the Wadas community who refused", he said.

"So between the 20-21 we went there and then on February 8 there was an incident where there was a measurement plan, the deployment of officers, and various things, so there was a problem", added Taufan.

Based on this condition, said Taufan, Komnas HAM then conducted an investigation and monitoring. The two steps were taken because this agency suspected that violence had occurred when the police were accompanying the Central Java National Land Agency (BPN) to carry out measurements.

"Initially, Komnas HAM mediates now with additional investigations and monitoring because there are allegations of violence being committed", he concluded.