Local Politics and Terrorism

By Difa Kusumadewi & Rina Hutajulu

The Judge knocked the hammer, indicating 16 years sentence imposed officially on Yannas. He was convicted of premeditated murder of the employee of PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) which happened two years ago in a protest against PT RAPP. It seems not an issue for the environmentalists when their mission breaks the law, and even though take someone’s life.

The murder occurred in Sei Kuat, Lukit village, Padang island, Meranti regency, Riau. The victim name is Chaidir. He was was operating the excavator and then got shot three times with a muzzleloaded rifle and a handgun before was burned along with the heavy machine. After doing his protest to defend the environment and killed, Yannas escape for two years. The victim is simply an outsource employee who worked as a heavy equipment operator for the PT RAPP who has a wife and one child who is now three years old.

Yannas was caught, and admitted the demonstration organized by the Riau Farmers Union (STR) led by Muhammad Riduan. Yannas also told the Police that the mastermind behind the violent demonstration is Riduan. Knowing his name is mentioned, the environmental activist chose to escape, but was caught in Bandar Lampung instead. Riduan is currently serving 1.5 years in jail. This is his second conviction now facing premeditated murder.

Riduan’s track record as an environmental and political activist can not be underestimated. The proof is through the STR, a local grass root group, to whom he succeed in influencing the people to ask land compensation from PT RAPP. This organization has also brought some of the people to Jakarta to do mouth sewing as the demontration method in front of MPR / DPR / DPD office in December 2011 as a protest against PT RAPP. Riduan was with HTI and PKS before he joined the radical left.

The environmental activists proximity to local marginal communities, who feel neglected by the authorities, seems to be a certain strategy for them to be able to smooth their protest plans in the name of saving the environment. Indeed, whatever the common people see as a good action, certainly will get support easily.

Riduan and friends are also apparently get support from Senator Intsiawati Ayus, the member of Riau DPD. Ayus is very concerned about environmental issues in Riau and critical of the companies which are considered to expose resources and cause environmental damage on her land birth. The lawyer also has a connection with the initiator of Free Riau (Riau Merdeka) movement (later renamed The Sovereign Riau), Tabrani Rab. The Sovereign Riau is a peace movement initiated by Rab in March 1999 which concerns about the Riau’s natural resources exploitation as the conspiration between the central goverment and businesmen/corporates. But serious questions about the Riau Freedom Movement should be asked.

Ayus attended the commemoration of 14 years of the Sovereign Riau at his residence on 15 March 2013 with a number of campus and environmental activists whose names are not mentioned. This event indicates there is a special relationship between them, whether it is based on ordinary friendship or political viewpoint similarity.

Riduan and his colleagues who had joined under the flag of Serikat Tani Riau, the Farmers Union Riau (STR) openly claimed that their political views inclined to Marxism, which is still banned by the Indonesian constitution . Does Ayus have similar views to them, is still a question. But, the program Parliamentary Cooperation Forum Pactice, the representatives including the senator build relationships with left political countries, such as Peru, Chile, and Bolivia.

There is no official statement yet from Ayus whether she really supports the demonstrators since the poor, the militant left is her political constitutions. The editorial team has sent a number of questions via email and mobile text messages, no response from her. So far we can conclude that there is no resistant statement nor condemned the demonstration which ended up with a premeditated murder case from this politician.

Actually, the incidence of activists breaking the law in an effort to show their love on the environment is not the first time that happened. For example, two environmental activists: Director of WALHI South Sumatra Anwar Sadat Sadat ST, and Organizing Management Staff of WALHI South Sumatra Dedek Chaniago, allegedly vandalized during a demonstration in South Sumatra Police Headquarter on 29 January 2013 and charged with coated articles. They violated  Article 170 Paragraph 2 Criminal Code Law (KUHP) with a maximum prison term of seven years and Article 160 KUHP which set out in the second indictment.

In Sumatra the militants went further. Their actions led to a murder case, the equipment burning owned by companiesis a serious offense. Moreover the case happened in Riau. Too bad, there are no comments from fellow environmental activist on that case. They seemed keep silent on the case which claimed someone’s life, and the Police claim this as a case of premeditated murder. Their action trigger the issue of terrorism because they were seen as an act of terrorism rather than the action of the activists who fight for the rights of the environment and society . The question which then arises is whether this is just another murder or is a new form of terrorism since the group in Riau drawn on a national conflict in Bima and Mesuji, the latter now identified has the foot prints of jihadists and PRD members as well, according to a new study published by the renowned terrorism expert Sidney Jones.

According to Loebby Loqman, a legal and state security expert, terrorism is an activity whose objective is to make other people feel fear that it might attract the attention of people, a group or a nation. Usually the act of terror is used if no other way that can be taken to carry out his will. Terrorism is then used as a psychological weapon to create an atmosphere of panic, uncertainty, and creating public mistrust of the ability of government and force the people or groups to obey the will of terrorists. So, acts of terror are not addressed personally to the victim. The action is carried out to give a specific message to the public, governments, institutions, or to targeted agencies.

While the Act No. 15/2003 on Eradication of Terrorism, Article 6 and Article 7, states that any person is convicted for committing terrorism, if intentional violence or the threat of violence creates an environment of terror, cause mass casualties, depriving freedom or eliminate the life of the others. By creating the atmosphere of terror or fear the murder in Sumatra shows the problematic with terrorism. Since the act is committed by environmental activists it cannot be categorized as an act of terrorism by the judiciary, yet. Although the people wonder their action is a kind of new terrorism.

It is true that not all activists commit to violence. Fighting for something that is assumed to be true is also part of human rights. However, when some activists doing crime, the public should not defend them. It’s improper if the heroic actions conducted by the humanity and enviromental "warriors" kills the other human’s right to live.