Protesters and residents raise a protest flag during the August 17 Ceremony at IKN

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Several civil society groups together with dozens of residents in North Penajam Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, held the August 17 ceremony at IKN or the Capital of the islands on Saturday August 17, 2024. It was not a- not only did they raise the state flag to celebrate independence, they also displayed billboards criticizing IKN’s development on the Balang Island Bridge, 37.8 kilometers from the State Palace.

The banner says “Indonesia is not for sale, merdeka!” Its size reaches 750 square meters and it is attached to the body of the bridge so that it hangs in the waters of Balikpapan Bay. They raised the emergency flag after a previous ceremony in Pantai Lango Town, Penajam District.

The activists and residents also marched using boats under the Balang Bridge. Protective flags were raised on the boats. Among them; “Save Balikpapan Bay”, “Land for the People”, “Cleared by PSN (National Strategic Project)”, “Not yet 100% independent”, “Not yet free to speak”, to sentences “79 Years of Independence, 190 Years of Colonialism”.

Greenpeace Indonesia Forest Campaigner, Muhammad Iqbal Damanik, said that the purpose of the flag is to criticize as a reminder that Indonesia – through the development of IKN – would not be sold to the private sector. Iqbal’s warning refers to the granting of Agricultural Rights (HGU) in the capital which lasts up to 190 years. “This terrible investment is the same as a project that will sell the country,” Iqbal told Tempo on Saturday night.

The Chairman of the Greenpeace Indonesia Campaign Team, Arie Rompas, also said that this haphazard project was an attempt by the state to take away the rights of the indigenous people and local residents in North Penajam Paser. “Then roll out the red carpet for the oligarchy,” said Rompas.

The red carpet is in the form of tenancy rights in IKN that reach 190 years for investors. The problem, according to Rompas, is that this development causes environmental damage and will exacerbate the climate crisis. In addition, referring to previous findings, the IKN project is said to threaten biodiversity, such as clearing mangrove forests in the upper reaches of Balikpapan Bay.

The heart of the IKN country is planned to be built on 252,600 hectares of land and 69,769 hectares of sea. The place stretches between Penajam Paser North and Kutai Kartanegara Regency. It is said that the development of IKN was encouraged clearing natural forests covering an area of ​​117 hectares and natural mangroves covering an area of ​​38 hectares by 2023. In addition to the threat to the habitat of dolphins, proboscis monkeys and several endemic animals in Balikpapan Bay.

The Executive Director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) East Kalimantan, Fathur Roziqin Fen, described this decision as a delusion of grandeur as a celebration of independence. “Our nationalism and our national pride is locked in the beauty of the infrastructure alone. “The realities on the ground, such as agrarian conflicts, ecological impacts and even criminals are hidden,” he said.

The government should restore East Kalimantan which is hit by a multi-faceted crisis. However, President Joko Widodo is actually following colonial practices by giving forgiveness of sins and bonuses for doing infrastructure supply business at IKN to investors and oligarchs.

In addition, the IKN project damaged the other island, South Sulawesi. In the city of Palu, residents are harassed by dust that suffocates the lungs because of mining stone and sand for IKN development needs.

When they gave a speech raising a defense flag on the Balang Bridge, the police arrived arrest protesters and residents. Iqbal Damanik said his group was interrogated and then told to go home. “There were people who were detained, but now everyone is going home. “

East Kalimantan Regional Police Head of Public Relations, High Commissioner Yuliyanto, denied that they were arrested. “No one has been arrested, our officers are currently talking to them,” Yulianto said in his message, Saturday.

And Adam Faturahman contributed to this article.