The community in Tayan Hilir is not silent when their land is threatened by concessions of mining and palm plantation. The problem is 51% of the Tayan Hilir area have been given for mining concession, 54% for palm plantation, and 12% for Industrial Plantation Forest. The total percentage itself is already abnormal. The total concession are wider than the total area of Tayan Hilir. Aware to this situation, Tayan Hilir community facilitated by Swandiri Institute, held meeting with House of Representative of Sanggau District to deliver their aspiration through hearing process, (26/May).

In this hearing, the chief of Sejotang Village, Pius Tomi expressed his concern about pollution and degradation of Semenduk Lake by waste from nearby mining activities. Semenduk Lake is source of livelihood for local fisherman and local communties. Since operation of Mahkota Karya Utama (MKU) Company is started, Semenduk Lake was turned into landfill discharge of bauxite waste, as well as built canals from over burden land in the lake which supposed to be be used for reclamation. However, until now MKU has not started any meaningful reclamation and post mining obligation.

Sejotang Village, located around 20 km from Tayan Hilir Subdistrict, Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan. This village is important source of water for community. Sebayan Mountain that located in this village has “tembawang”, field managed by community, provided water source which flowed into community homes through pipes.

Another village, community representative from Subah Village, said that there is no electricity in his village. Whereas, there are several concession in Subah, such as PT. Danpac Resources, PT MSP, SJAL, and ACP (Palm plantation). Ironically, the companies did not contribute to fulfill the basic energy need for community in Subah.

Besides, there are settlement, agriculture land, and local community plantation that overlapped with production forest zone. In fact, some of public facilities also overlapped with forest area such as main street and school. The community representative said, that they unable to build Junior High School and Vocational School building, due to constrain from the forest area status. This is causing legal uncertainty for community. They cannot maintain their property right on the land, and the village government cannot issue a certificate of land.

Meanwhile, in Pedalaman village, a local lake called Bekat Lake was polluted by activities of nearby palm plantation, PT. NSP, and PT. SMA. Chemical waste that flow into the lake is suspected in declining of fishery catch of local fisherman. Most of community concern raised after intensive use of participatory mapping by community. Using the map, community can identify changes in their surrounding environment.

Executive Director of Swandiri Institute, Hermawansyah, said that participative mapping become easier and faster with application of drones. “With existed map from participatory process, local community can propose recognisition of indigenous forest, as effort to rescue the community managed area in Subah, Sejotang, and Pedalaman village using district regulation on recognition and protection of indigenous people”. Adding to that recognition, district may issue a decision on the determination of indigenous forest, Hermawansyah explained.

Representative members Robby Sugianto SE who focus on community development, give positive responses to the effort of Tayan Hilir’s community. He also advise chief of village to be more careful when dealing with land purchasing. “Many people will propose for land property certificate, I hope the chief village will not only hear information from one party. Thus, forest condition can be sustained.”