Local Knowledge to Restore Three Season Markers

Season marker has disappeared from the lives of residents of Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. In the past, there were three places functioning as markers of the change of season in northern coastal communities of Manggarai namely Torong Besi (with a peak Golo Pertujuk), Torong Luwuk (with a peak Golo Serente) and Golo Kantul. In Manggarai language, Torong means hill, while Golo means mountain. Torong Besi is located in the village of Robek, Reok District, Manggarai. Torong Luwuk is located in the village of Satar Punda, Lambaleda District, East Manggarai. While Golo Kantul is located in the village of Toe, Reok District, Manggarai.

Local Knowledge to Restore Three Season Markers

Season marker has disappeared from the lives of residents of Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. In the past, there were three places functioning as markers of the change of season in northern coastal communities of Manggarai namely Torong Besi (with a peak Golo Pertujuk), Torong Luwuk (with a peak Golo Serente) and Golo Kantul. In Manggarai language, Torong means hill, while Golomeans mountain. Torong Besi is located in the village of Robek, Reok District, Manggarai. Torong Luwuk is located in the village of Satar Punda, Lambaleda District, East Manggarai. While Golo Kantul is located in the village of Toe, Reok District, Manggarai.

Entering rainy season, heavy fog and dense clouds envelop the peak of Torong Besi, accompanied by a sudden clap of thunder. If the two other peaks were greeted by the same sign, the rainy season has definitely arrived. The rainy season begins in October and lasts through April, a good season for farming. But in mid-February west monsoon has begun to fade away, so that fishermen would start fishing.

Mr. Gaspar Sales, Tu'a Teno of Anak Kampung Gincu, Robek Village, recalled when ancestors of Manggarai community began to abandon nomadic lifestyle to a sedentary life, they made Torong Besi forest as a catchment.Tu'a Teno is the head of communal land, a man who is specially chosen by Tu'a Golo (a communal leader at village level) for various matters related to land. After the independence of the Republic of Indonesia in 1945, the status Torong Besi forest was inaugurated as a state forest and later confirmed as a protected forest area in 1983. This close relationship began to be affected since Torong Besi was encroached upon for the needs of manganese mining.

Since 2007, local residents can no longer read the three markers. The destruction of the protected forest in Manggarai has been going on since 2005. Until the end of 2014, Manggarai District Government has issued 19 Mining Permits (IUP) with a concession area of 18,800 hectares. Meanwhile, the result of Agricultural Census 2013 showed no less than 75 percent of households in Manggarai work as farmers and fishermen. They live in hilly areas without irrigation. They depend on the protected forest areas and rainfall as the source of irrigation of rice fields, farm and fields.

The presence of mining is in direct contact with agricultural activities. Landslides from the falling land blown up and excavated on the upper hill pile up farmland below. Water became scarce, agricultural land shrank, people's health affected due to manganese dust.

These disruptions was the factor that triggered local communities to unite and come into agreement to stop operations of a mining company in 2010. But the mining companies come and go. Much uncertainty hangs in villages around the mining areas namely in the village of Wangkung, Jengkalang, Kerkuak, and Robek in Reok District.

Mr. Jacobus David is one of the communal leaders of Kerkuak Village, standing at the forefront of communities who rejected mining activities in their area. "I will take it until the end of my life (attitude) to reject this mine," he said in an interview last October 6 2015.

When the local government is considered not to take necessary position, namely to protect community agricultural lands from the adverse effects of Manganese mining, people took a class action. In addition, residents have been actively engaged in dialogue with stakeholders. In April 2011, for example, five representatives of residents from the villages located in the mining’s perimeter met Secretary of the Forestry and Plantation of Manggarai District to inquire about the status of the protected forest of Torong Besi:  whether it is true that the forest has been converted into limited production forest. Secretary of the Department of Forestry and Plantation said that until then, no other document which states that the protected areas have changed function. Manggarai District Government retains its status as a protected forest with reference to the Decree of the Minister of Forestry No. 423 / Kpts-II / 1999. Some civil society organizations also consolidated by highlighting the issue of mining through a scrutiny of the local budget.

Fr. Simon Suban Tukan, SVD, Coordinator of JPIC of the Ruteng Divine Word, which has assisted the community since 2006 recounts his experience trying  to influence decision making process related to the right of the people to life and mining.

"At the time of the drafting of Spatial Plan (in accordance with the mandate of Law No. 26 of 2007 on Spatial Planning), we incorporate the proposals of how to formulate our position on the presence of mining - because there are parties who accept and reject it in the government circles. With the help of friends inside, we received help to formulate proper sentences so that people do not do mining activities but also do not directly attack parties who are in support of the mining activities. "

In East Manggarai, condition he experienced is more difficult. "So I had to write a personal letter to the regent, telling him what happened in the field (due to the presence of mining). Finally, on September 23, 2014, the regent sent Regional Secretary and Head of Department of Energy and Mineral Resources of East Manggarai to stop mining activities in Tumbak Village, Satar Punda Village, Lambaleda District, until further notice. "

The struggle of Manggarai residents for life space could not be separated from the support of the program of the Department of Politics and Government of Gadjah Mada University (UGM JPP). 

Through the Scheme of Local Knowledge Grant together with Knowledge Sector Initiative, JPP UGM will optimize the absorption of local knowledge in ways that is existing in the community, manage and transform as well as disseminate applied knowledge and use it to influence policy.

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