An Anti-Mining Environmental Defender Was Brutally Murdered in Lumajang, East Java.
Jakarta, 28/29/2015. On last Saturday (September 26, 2015), in a silent morning, a farmer who resist mining died after brutal torture and murder in Selok Awar-Awar village, Lumajang, East Java. Salim alias Kancil (46), the victim, was picked up by paramilitary from his house to Selok Awar-Awar Village Office. With hands tied, he was tortured. The paramilitary beat him with big stone and other hard objects, and left the body at roadside near graveyard.

Apparently one victim is not enough, the other farmer, Tosan, was also tortured near his house. Though he was trying to defend, he was finally fallen down after dozens of unknown people beat him. The community helped and run him to a hospital. Until today, Tosan is still hospitalized in critical condition.

Community resistance against mining has been a long struggle since the community protested in People’s Representative Council of East Java and made a complaint to both ministries and local government but no response at all. Instead, the community of Selok Awar-Awar village are intimidated by the Head of Village and his paramilitary because of the mining resistance.

Both victims (Salim Kancil and Tosan) are one of the farmers who speak loudly, from the beginning, to resist sand mining in their village because the mining has caused damages and threatened farming production in Selok Awar-Awar village.

Mining activity was started in 2014 when the Head of Village invited community to inform them about tourism site development plan of Watu Pecak beach. Until today, nothing from the plan had been realized. Instead, excessive sand mining is takeover the land which concession areas allegedly belong to PT Indo Multi Mining and according to the law, the forest land belongs to Perhutani (Indonesia State-owned Forest Enterprise).

The community is still struggling, especially farmers from Selok Awar-Awar village. The farmers feel angry because some parts of their land were turned into road for sand trucks. Their houses are also corroded due to beach sand exposure. On September 26, 2015, Anti-Mining Farmers Forum of Selo Awar-Awar village proposed a notification for anti-mining demonstration. Even before the demonstration started, the anti-mining environmental defender was murdered.

We, civil society organizations, are saddened in this time of bereavement with deepest sympathy and condolence. For us, this incident has added long list of mining crime in Indonesia. Farmer is one of the main vulnerable groups who is the primary victim. Therefore, we urge government to:
1. Ask police and other related institutions to investigate the case, including find the intellectual actors behind this incident;
2. Demand Ministry of Environment and Forestry to audit mining permit which is presumed to be in Perhutani area;
3. Conduct environmental audits and stop all sand mining activities in Lumajang, East Java;
4. Protect community’s rights of productive land and space managed by community from any threat caused by mining activities;

Thus we send you this press release. Thank you for your attention.

Contact persons:
Muhnur Satyahaprabu/ Walhi (081326436437)
Kibagus/ Jatam (085781985822)
Ananto/ KontraS (081908871477)
Ken yusriansyah/ KPA (081210704454)
Andi Muttaqien/ Pilnet (081211996984)