Humbang Hasundutan people seek land-dispute resolution
Members of a traditional community in Pandumaan and Sipituhuta villages in Pollung district, Humbang Hasundutan regency, North Sumatra, have urged the Forestry Ministry to keep its promise to settle a land dispute involving PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL), which has been going on for five years. They said the ministry’s director general of forestry business development, Bambang Hendroyono, had promised on May 29 this year to resolve the dispute within three months. “August 28 was the deadline, but there has been no sign of the ministry trying to settle the land dispute in the TPL concession area,” community elder Rev. Haposan Sinambela told The Jakarta Post. Haposan said that many people had become victims of violence and had been arrested by police since the conflict over TPL’s concession area began in 2009. He added that the conflict with TPL stemmed from the felling of kemenyan (incense) trees by the company on customary land belonging to local residents. He said the locals...