The criminalization of several farmers from the Tani Nelayan Union (STN) by the Jambi Police occurred in Betung Village, Kumpeh, Muaro Jambi Regency on Sunday, October 29, 2023.

Even more ironic, one of the lecturers from a well-known university in Jambi, initials H, was involved in committing violence against farmers.

"This is inhumane treatment from the authorities. And ironically academics are also involved. We strongly condemn this criminalization," said Suluh Rifai, Chairman of STN, when giving a statement to the media crew.

According to Rifai, inhumane actions occurred when several farmers were treated like animals, tied up by the neck and then dragged by police officers and several people from the Fajar Pagi Plasma Cooperative of PT Ricky Kurniawan Kertapersada (PT RKK).

Rifai could not understand the criminalization carried out by the authorities and unscrupulous lecturers. In fact, according to him, the power possessed by the police and lecturers should be devoted to the people, not to the cooperative.

"I can't stop thinking. The police are no longer an institution to protect the people. But the oppressor of the people. These lecturers are also the same, they have tarnished higher education institutions that should be independent from corporations, instead they are under the feet of corporations," said Rifai angrily.

When asked for information on the criminalization of farmers, Rifai said that the Fajar Pagi Cooperative, former plasma of PT RKK, had violated the law from the beginning and caused losses to the state for dozens of years because it had planted oil palm plantations in the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) area.

Previously, PT RKK had also been defeated by the judges at all levels that the rightful owner of the land occupied by PT RKK was now PT WKS.

After all, according to Rifai, the government permit given to PT WKS is an Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) concession.

However, Rifai explained, PT RKK has broken the law and violated the PTUN decision by continuing to use the Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI) area with oil palm plantations on an area of 2391 hectares since 2008.

"The state has been tricked by PT RKK since a dozen years. For me this is a shame, as big as Indonesia can be fooled by PT. RKK, which is now bankrupt," Rifai said, again.

Not finished there, PT. RKK also said Rifai was the culprit for burning forests and destroying ecology in Muaro Jambi but never paid fines until now, which amounted to more than 191 billion.

For the actions of PT RKK, Rifai urged the Indonesian Ministry of Environment (KLH), the National Police Chief and the Ministry of Education to immediately punish PT RKK and its plasma Fajar Pagi Cooperative and Jambi Police who were involved and unscientific lecturers.

Rifai also demanded that the Ministry of ATR / BPN RI immediately cancel the HGU of PT. RKK and asked the Chief of Police to stop and take over the case being handled by the Jambi Police for the detention of several farmers without trial.