The Special Crimes Directorate of the North Maluku Police has named seven indigenous community members in South Wasile District, East Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province as suspects.

The seven residents are Estepanus Djojong alias Panus (62 years old) chairman of the Waijoi and Jikomoi customary stakeholders, Septon Djojon alias Ton (42) of Waijoi, Keng Kamariba alias Keng (61) of Waijoi Village, Lifas Gorango alias Rinto (40) of Waijoy Village, Paulus Lasa alias Paul (54), Rifo Bobala alias Rifo (35) of Jikomoi village, Oscar Barera alias Oscar (47) of Jikomoi village.

The naming of the seven Waijoi and Jikomoi residents as suspects is in accordance with the Police Certificate of the North Maluku Police Special Criminal Investigation Directorate, number: B/174/III/2024/Dit Reskrimsus regarding notification of suspect determination. The letter is dated March 18, 2024.

Reporting from Titastory.id which is a partner of Teras.id, the residents of Waijoi and Jikomoi were named as suspects in a case of alleged criminal acts because they were considered to have disturbed and obstructed the mining business activities of PT Wana Kencana Mineral (WKM) as the holder of a Mining Business License (IUP).

One of the residents named as a suspect, Paulus Lasa, a resident of Waijoi, said that the naming of suspects to seven residents of Waijoi and Jikomoi was unnatural and unfair.

According to him, what they are doing is fighting for the rights to the customary land they have been living on. In addition, they consider the company to have lied to the public. They took action to demand an agreement with the company.

Paulus said that their determination as suspects was not in accordance with procedures, where they were examined at the Wasile Selatan Police Station on Nov. 22, 2022.

Then on January 18, 2023, they were summoned as witnesses. Three days later, on January 22, 2023, they were also summoned to attend an invitation at Wasile Police Station, Subaim.

Then suddenly, a case title was held at the Ditreskrimsus Polda North Maluku on January 19, 2024 which finally issued a suspect determination letter on March 18, 2024 as well as the first summons and second summons on March 29, 2024.

Paulus said the presence of PT WKM in 3 villages of Loleba Waijoi, Jikomoi, South Wasile replaced PT KPT Harita Group. PT WKM at that time, said Paulus, had started mining in an area previously released by KPT Harita covering an area of 4 ha, and the remaining 3.8 ha had been mined by WKM.

Because they have carried out activities, residents then demand that the area must be paid by WKM. He said both parties, residents and companies, had agreed an agreement on October 7, 2021.

"The agreement was directly mediated and witnessed by the Forkopimda Haltim, but after the agreement until 2023 there was no realization so the residents came to question the matter to WKM on 17 Nov 2023 and they were promised that 1 week later an answer would be given, but 4 days later they received an invitation letter for clarification from the North Maluku Police on the WKM report," he said.

Rifo Bubala, a resident of Jikomoi, showed evidence of the agreement attached to the minutes of the meeting between representatives of the Loleba, Waijoi and Jikomoi villages with the management of PT Wana Kencana Mineral and PT Format Teknik Mandiri, on Thursday, October 7, 2021 at the sub-district office hall, South Wasile.

The letter contains two points of mutual agreement between PT WKM and community representatives, among others: PT WKM will immediately carry out mining and ore barging / shipping activities in the 7.8 Ha area on Monday, October 11, 2021, for this reason PT WKM / PT FTM will pay the remaining compensation funds of IDR.75 million no later than 30 days after mining activities are carried out.

And the second point is, before mining activities are carried out, outside the 7.8 Ha area, PT WKM together with representatives of the Loleba, Waijoi, and Jikomoi villagers must thoroughly discuss matters relating to land compensation funds and planting growth, facilitated by the Regional Government.

"This letter was signed by the Head of Mining Engineering of PT WKM: Adityawarman, Public Relations of PT FTM: Hammid Muhammad, Loleba Village Chief Officer: Arifin Lanasiri, Head of BPD Loleba: Dikson Deni, Head of Jikomoi Village: Anis Canu, Loleba Village Team 11 Chairman: Amos Werimon, Acting Head of Waijoi Village: Nikanor Jawali, Head of BPD Jikomoi: Bernad Komo Komo, Team 10 Chairman of Jikomoi-Waijoi Village: Septon Djojong, Chairman of BPD Waijoi: Salmon Poroco, and Team 18 Chairman of Waijoi-Jikomoi Village: Zet Flory," said this Jikomoi resident, detailing the participants who attended the agreement meeting.

According to them, due to the expansion of nickel mining, many lands belonging to indigenous peoples have been displaced without going through a compensation process. Usually those who resist and protest are intimidated or reported by the company.