Sepaku Floods, Negative Impacts From Low Public Participation in Moving the Nusantara Capital City

The toll road construction project in the Nusantara Capital region. Foto : FWI.

BOGOR, THENUSANTARAPOST.COM- Flood incidents in the villages of Bukit Subur, Binuang, Sukaraja, Tengin Baru, Karang Jinawi, Paluan Sub-District, and Sepaku Sub-District, North Penajam Paser Regency in the Central Government Core Area (KIPP) the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) on March 17 2023 are facts that show the cause of the flooding caused not only because of the high rainfall, slope and topography.

But also as a response to environmental damage due to the practices of actors in managing forest and land resources so far in IKN in particular, East Kalimantan in general.

Information asymmetry is the root of the problem in moving the capital city to East Kalimantan so that the public does not know or even check and balance the ongoing development process.

Forest Watch Indonesia noted that in the entire IKN area there are 83 mining companies, 16 oil palm plantation companies, and 4 forestry companies. This extractive industry practice has changed the landscape of the forest and land that is now designated as the IKN Area.

Agung, Forest Campaigner of FWI said, at least in the 2018-2021 period in the IKN area there had been a loss of 18 thousand hectares of natural forest or the equivalent of 1.6 times the area of ​​Bogor City.

The flood incident that occurred in Sepaku District, North Penajam Paser Regency, is located in the Riko Manggar Watershed. The area of ​​the Riko Manggar watershed reaches 220.8 thousand hectares, covering the Districts of West Balikpapan, Central Balikpapan, North Balikpapan, Balikpapan City and Loa Janan, Loa Kulu, Long Kali, Penajam, Samboja, Sepaku, North Penajam Paser Regency. KIPP is in the Riko Manggar watershed.

Now it is added to the construction in the IKN area such as for dams, soccer intakes, and for office buildings and other opening activities whose area in the last 6 months has reached 14 thousand hectares. The high changes in forest and land cover affect the amount of water that should be stored as groundwater and then discharged into runoff water.

The flood incident that occurred in Sepaku District, North Penajam Paser Regency, is located in the Riko Manggar Watershed. The area of ​​the Riko Manggar watershed reaches 220.8 thousand hectares, covering the Districts of West Balikpapan, Central Balikpapan, North Balikpapan, Balikpapan City and Loa Janan, Loa Kulu, Long Kali, Penajam, Samboja, Sepaku, North Penajam Paser Regency. KIPP is in the Riko Manggar watershed.

The occurrence of floods in Sepaku is very closely related to the pattern of forest and land tenure in the Riko Manggar watershed. A total of 33 concessions (2 HPH, 3 HTI, 12 oil palm plantations and 16 mines) with a total area of ​​110.3 thousand hectares have changed the landscape of forests and land in the Riko Manggar Basin. The upstream area of ​​the Riko Manggar watershed which functions as a water catchment area is located in Sepaku District, North Penajam Paser Regency, is in KIPP IKN.

“The upstream watershed area has even been controlled by oil palm plantation companies with an area of ​​48 thousand hectares or 44 percent in the Riko Manggar watershed. Mitigation and handling of floods is wrong if you use an administrative approach instead of DAS,” he said in his official statement received by TheNusantaraPost.com.

The construction of the IKN which is massively carried out in 2022-2023 will have an impact on changes in the forest landscape and the environment in the IKN Area. From the results of the analysis that we carried out, there are inconsistencies in the use of space from the ongoing development activities. As many as 13 thousand hectares of forest and land cleared in the IKN area until May 2022.

Then in the period from May 2022 to December 2022 there was forest and land clearing within the space allocation for Local Protected Areas and City Jungles in the IKN Strategic Area Spatial Plan of around 604 hectares. “Even though functionally, spatial patterns are made for water and soil conservation, not to be a driving force for environmental damage and even disasters in the IKN.

Clearing of forests and land is also getting out of control, even land speculators have massively damaged the mangrove ecosystem outside the IKN area. For example, in Balikpapan Bay, around 1,200 hectares of mangrove forest have been cleared during the period 2019 to 2021. Even though the mangroves in Balikpapan Bay are an Essential Ecosystem Area (KEE) that must be protected. The IKN urbanization project to East Kalimantan has had a negative impact on the preservation of the mangrove ecosystem in Balikpapan Bay. Even the construction of the toll road connecting the IKN has damaged the wildlife corridor from the coast of the bay to the Sungai Wain protected forest (HLSW).

“How can the IKN Authority then separate the mangrove ecosystems in Balikpapan Bay that are included in the IKN Area and those that are not? The approach is wrong, while the impact of the IKN development has had an impact on almost the entire coast of Balikpapan Bay,” said Yolanda Pokja Pesisir.

Fathur Roziqin Fen, Acting Regional Executive Director of Walhi East Kalimantan, said that farmers, fishermen, indigenous peoples and women do not have the same opportunity to determine the feasibility of relocating and building an IKN. As an example of the process of drafting the IKN Law, it is very weak from the process of meaningful public participation.

“This is the real impact of the imbalance in forest and land tenure. Thus the government actually becomes the party that hinders the resolution of tenurial conflicts to the adverse effects of environmental damage such as the recent floods,” he said.

The Paser Balik indigenous people have publicly expressed their refusal to be relocated from their customary territory, both in official meetings with the government and by placing banners. Since the beginning of the transfer of the IKN until now, indigenous peoples have never been given the opportunity to participate fully and effectively to determine their fate and future in the planning and development processes of the IKN. Substantially, the IKN Law and its derivative regulations in no way provide a legal guarantee for the protection and fulfillment of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“With this situation, for the Indigenous Peoples in the IKN location, especially the Paser balik indigenous people, the construction of the IKN is a project to directly destroy the existence of indigenous peoples and their rights,” said Muhammad Arman, Director of Advocacy for Policy, Law and Human Rights, AMAN.

According to Fathul Huda Wiyashadi, Director of LBH Samarinda, since making the decision to relocate the IKN to its development process, it has been entangled with various human rights violations, both civil and social economic rights. Local residents have never been invited to dialogue and have never been actively involved in the policy formation process. Even local residents are now in danger of being evicted from their homes and hometowns just for the sake of smooth sailing megaprojects that have absolutely no positive impact on residents.

Lies after lies continue to be presented in order to smooth out megaprojects that rob the people of their living space. In addition, currently intimidation is increasingly massive being carried out by the authorities through their tools (civil, police and military) against residents who refuse to release their land.

“Floods in Soccer will be used as a legitimacy tool for the government to continue with the project under the pretext of flood control which will deprive residents of the living space around the project site,” he concluded (Wan).

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Forest Watch Indonesia mencatat, di keseluruhan Kawasan IKN terdapat 83 perusahaan tambang, 16 perusahaan perkebunan kelapa sawit, dan 4 perusahaan kehutanan. Praktek industri ekstraktif ini telah banyak mengubah lanskap hutan dan lahan yang sekarang ditunjuk sebagai Kawasan IKN.

Agung, Pengkampanye Hutan FWI mengatakan, setidaknya dalam kurun waktu 2018-2021 di Kawasan IKN telah terjadi kehilangan hutan alam seluas 18 ribu hektare atau setara 1,6 kali luas Kota Bogor.

Kejadian banjir yang terjadi di Kecamatan Sepaku, Kabupaten Penajam Paser Utara, letaknya berada di DAS Riko Manggar. Luas DAS Riko Manggar mencapai 220,8 ribu hektar, meliputi Kecamatan Balikpapan Barat, Balikpapan Tengah, Balikpapan Utara, Kota Balikpapan serta Loa Janan, Loa Kulu, Long Kali, Penajam, Samboja, Sepaku, Kabupaten Penajam Paser Utara. KIPP berada di DAS Riko Manggar.

Sekarang ditambah dengan adanya pembangunan di Kawasan IKN seperti untuk bendungan, intake sepaku, dan untuk gedung-gedung perkantoran serta aktivitas bukaan lainnya yang luasnya dalam kurun waktu 6 bulan terakhir mencapai 14 ribu hektare. Tingginya perubahan tutupan hutan dan lahan memengaruhi banyaknya air yang seharusnya disimpan menjadi air tanah kemudian dibuang menjadi air limpasan (run off).

Kejadian banjir yang terjadi di Kecamatan Sepaku, Kabupaten Penajam Paser Utara, letaknya berada di DAS Riko Manggar. Luas DAS Riko Manggar mencapai 220,8 ribu hektar, meliputi Kecamatan Balikpapan Barat, Balikpapan Tengah, Balikpapan Utara, Kota Balikpapan serta Loa Janan, Loa Kulu, Long Kali, Penajam, Samboja, Sepaku, Kabupaten Penajam Paser Utara. KIPP berada di DAS Riko Manggar.

Kejadian banjir di Sepaku sangat berkaitan erat juga dengan bagaimana pola penguasaan hutan dan lahan di DAS Riko Manggar. Sebanyak 33 (2 HPH, 3 HTI, 12 Kebun Sawit dan 16 Tambang) konsesi perusahaan dengan total luas 110,3 ribu hektare telah mengubah lanskap hutan dan lahan di Das Riko Manggar. Wilayah hulu DAS Riko Manggar yang berfungsi sebagai daerah tangkapan air yang letaknya berada di Kecamatan Sepaku Kabupaten Penajam Paser Utara, berada di KIPP IKN.

“Wilayah hulu DAS bahkan telah dikuasai perusahaan perkebunan kelapa sawit dengan luas 48 ribu hektare atau 44 persen di DAS Riko Manggar. Penanggulangan dan penanganan banjir yang keliru jika menggunakan pendekatan administratif bukan DAS,” katanya dalam keterangan resminya yang diterima Beritalingkungan.com.

Pembangunan IKN yang secara massif dilakukan pada tahun 2022-2023 ini berdampak terhadap perubahan lanskap hutan dan lingkungan di dalam Kawasan IKN. Dari hasil analisis yang kami lakukan terdapat inkonsistensi pemanfaatan ruang dari aktifitas pembangunan yang sedang berlangsung saat ini. Sebesar 13 ribu hektar terjadi bukaan hutan dan lahan di Kawasan IKN sampai dengan bulan Mei 2022.

Kemudian kurun waktu Mei 2022 sampai Desember 2022 terjadi bukaan hutan dan lahan di dalam alokasi ruang Kawasan perlindungan Setempat dan Rimba Kota pada Rencana Tata Ruang Kawasan Strategis IKN sekitar 604 hektare. “Padahal secara fungsi, pola ruang dibuat untuk konservasi air dan tanah, bukan menjadi pendorong terjadinya kerusakan lingkungan bahkan bencana di IKN.

Pembukaan hutan dan lahan juga semakin tidak terkendali, bahkan spekulan lahan sudah secara massif merusak ekosistem mangrove di luar Kawasan IKN. Sebagai contoh di Teluk Balikpapan, sudah terjadi bukaan hutan mangrove sekitar 1200 hektar selama kurun waktu 2019 sampai 2021. Padahal mangrove di Teluk Balikpapan termasuk Kawasan Ekosistem Esensial (KEE) yang harus dilindungi. Proyek urbanisasi IKN ke Kaltim ini berdampak buruk terhadap kelestarian ekosistem mangrove di Teluk Balikpapan. Bahkan pembangunan jalan tol penghubung IKN telah merusak koridor satwa dari pesisir teluk ke hutan lindung Sungai Wain (HLSW).

“Bagaimana bisa Otorita IKN kemudian memisahkan antara ekosistem mangrove di Teluk Balikpapan yang masuk Kawasan IKN dan yang tidak? Pendekatan yang keliru, sementara dampak pembangunan IKN banyak berdampak ke hampir seluruh pesisir Teluk Balikpapan,” Ungkap Yolanda Pokja Pesisir.

Fathur Roziqin Fen, Pjs Direktur Eksekutif Daerah Walhi Kaltim mengatakan, baik petani, nelayan, masyarakat adat, dan perempuan tidak memiliki kesempatan yang sama untuk menentukan kelayakan pemindahan dan pembangunan IKN. Sebagai contoh dari proses penyusunan Undang-Undang IKN, sangat lemah dari proses partisipasi publik yang bermakna.

“Ini adalah dampak nyata dari ketimpangan penguasaan hutan dan lahan. Dengan demikian pemerintah justru menjadi pihak yang menghambat penyelesaian konflik tenurial hingga dampak buruk dari kerusakan lingkungan seperti banjir yang baru-baru ini terjadi,” Ungkapnya.

Masyarakat adat Paser Balik telah menyatakan sikap secara terbuka menolak untuk direlokasi dari wilayah adatnya, baik di dalam pertemuan resmi dengan pemerintah maupun dengan melalui pemasangan spanduk. Sejak awal pemindahan IKN hingga saat ini, masyarakat adat tidak pernah diberikan kesempatan untuk berpartisipasi penuh dan efektif untuk menentukan nasib dan masa depannya di dalam proses-proses perencanaan dan pembangunan IKN. Secara substansi UU IKN beserta peraturan turunannya sama sekali tidak memberikan jaminan hukum perlindungan dan pemenuhan hak-hak Masyarakat Adat.

“Dengan situasi demikian, bagi Masyarakat Adat di lokasi IKN khususnya masyarakat adat Paser balik, pembangunan IKN merupakan proyek pemusnahan keberadaan masyarakat adat beserta hak-haknya secara langsung” Ungkap Muhammad Arman, Direktur Advokasi Kebijakan, Hukum, dan HAM, AMAN.

Menurut Fathul Huda Wiyashadi, Direktur LBH Samarinda, sejak membuat keputusan pemindahan IKN hingga proses pembangunannya berkelindan beragam pelanggaran HAM, baik hak sipol maupun ekosob. Warga setempat tidak pernah diajak berdialog dan tidak pernah dilibatkan secara aktif dalam proses pembentukan kebijakan. Bahkan warga setempat kini terancam digusur dari tempat tinggal dan kampung halamannya hanya demi memuluskan megaproyek yang sama sekali tidak berdampak secara positif kepada warga.

Kebohongan demi kebohongan terus dihadirkan demi memuluskan megaproyek yang merampas ruang hidup rakyat Di samping itu, saat ini intimidasi semakin masif dilakukan oleh penguasa melalui alat-alatnya (sipil, polisi, dan militer) terhadap warga yang menolak melepaskan lahannya.

“Banjir di sepaku akan dijadikan alat legitimasi bagi pemerintah untuk terus melanjutkan proyek dengan dalih pengendalian banjir yang akan merampas ruang hidup warga di sekitar lokasi proyek,” pungkasnya (Wan)