KSP Asks North Sumatra Provincial Government To Immediately Resolve Agrarian Conflicts In 2 Villages In Deli Serdang

President Jokowi accompanied by the Regent of West Nias Khenoki Waruwu (center) and Gubsu Edy Rahmayadi (left) inspects the infrastructure of the Nias National Ring Road and the Idano Sibolou Bridge in West Nias, Wednesday (6/7). (ANTARA/HO-BPMI Setpres

JAKARTA - The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) has asked the North Sumatra Provincial Government to immediately resolve agrarian conflicts in Sei Mencharim Village, Kutalimbaru District, and Simalingkar Village, Pancur Batu District, Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra.

"Once the Governor of North Sumatra is ready to implement the mutual agreement, KSP together with the Ministry of ATR/BPN, the Ministry of BUMN, PTPN III Holding, and PTPN II are ready to support the execution process in the field according to President Jokowi's direction. Therefore, KSP hopes that the Regional Government can work together to resolve land conflicts in Simalingkar and Sei Mencharim villages", said Deputy of Presidential Staff Office II, Abetnego Tarigan, in a statement quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, July 13.

According to Abetnego, the agrarian conflict in the two villages received very serious attention from President Joko Widodo, where the President held a Limited Meeting on Land Planning in North Sumatra and summoned the Governor of North Sumatra Edy Rahmayadi to the Jakarta Presidential Palace, Monday, July 11.

Previously, in August 2020, as many as 170 farmers from Simalingkar and Sei Mencharim took a walk from Medan to Jakarta to submit their complaints to President Joko Widodo directly regarding the land conflict with PTPN II.

After the residents of Simalingkar and Sei Menistrim were received by President Jokowi on August 27, 2020, KSP then actively facilitated dialogue between the farmers of Simalingkar and Sei Mencharim Villages with PTPN II.

In four ministerial-level meetings and various dialogues with the community, PTPN II was asked to provide housing and agricultural land for verified members of the farmer union.

KSP also helped formulate a solution in the form of providing land for community houses with an area of 150 meters per family, as well as arable land covering an area of 2,500 meters per family with a borrow-to-use scheme for 700 families in Simalingkar and 800 families in Sei Mencharim.

"To follow up on solutions that have been mutually agreed upon and the results of the identification of beneficiaries, collaboration between the central and regional governments is still needed", he said.

The resolution of the problems in Simalingkar and Sei Menistrim is not only designed to stop the conflict but also ensures that the Government can provide answers to the land and livelihood security needs of the residents.

From 2016 to 2022, KSP has received 202 agrarian conflict complaints from North Sumatra, including the Simalingkar and Sei Mencharim issues.