Jakarta – Residents from the Wadas Village Nature Concern Social Movement (Gempadewa) were blocked by razor wire when they held an action on International Environment Day at the offices of the Central Java governor in Semarang on the afternoon of Monday June 6.
In a video uploaded on the Wadas Resists (@Wadas_Melawan) Twitter account showed coils of razor wire blockading access into Governor Ganjar Pranowo's office.
"The steel wire was used to close off the entrance to the governor's office when Wadas residents arrived to hold an International Environment Day action. Is that the way of those called the people's representatives", read the Twitter posting on Wadas Resists.
According to the group, this is not in keeping with the way residents greeted Pranowo when he came to Wadas some time ago, when they gave a warm welcome to the number one person in Central Java.
"Is this how ndoro @ganjarpranowo who said 'My god is my people, the governorship is just a mandate' (Tuanku ya Rakyatku, Gubernur cuma Mandat) is like? Then why is his god who came from #WadasMelawan greeted by coils of steel razor wire? Don't you remember when you came to Wadas, how you were welcomed with open arms by the residents? #WadasConsistantinResistance", read the Twitter posting.
In a photograph shared by Wadas Resists, the contrast was very apparent in the greeting given by Wadas residents to Pranowo. The residents greeted him with gifts of fruit and vegetables from their gardens, while Pranowo greeted them with razor wire.
Nevertheless, the Wadas residents claimed they would remain consistent in opposing the mining project in Wadas.
During the action the Wadas residents articulated at least six demands, namely demanding that the Location Designation License (IPL) for the mine at Wadas Village be revoked, that the mining project be stopped and an end to the legal manipulations being used to deceive residents.
In addition to this, they also demanded that the government stop the criminalisation, intimidation and repression by state security forces, stop all forms of psychological terror being used to weaken residents' struggle to defend their land and an end to all forms of damage and exploitation to their natural resources. (lna/DAL)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Warga Wadas Diadang Kawat Berduri saat Demo di Kantor Ganjar Pranowo".]
