Escalating Tensions in Rempang: Land Disputes Over ‘People’s Schools’ Spark Fresh Conflict

BATAM, RIAU ISLANDS – The tranquil coastal village of Pantai Melayu in Rempang, Batam, once again became the epicenter of a volatile land dispute on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Tensions flared as residents confronted authorities following the unilateral installation of Land Management Rights (HPL) signs by the Batam Free Trade Zone and Free Port Authority (BP Batam). The site, designated for the construction of a "People’s School" (Sekolah Rakyat), is situated on land currently managed and inhabited by local residents, reigniting fears of displacement and systemic dispossession.

The Incident: A Community Under Siege

The confrontation was captured in a series of circulating videos, showing a tense standoff between local villagers and members of the police force, including the Head of Intelligence and Security (Kasat Intelkam) of Batam, Commissioner Yudiarta Rustam. Despite being in civilian attire, Rustam and his team attempted to enter the Kampung Pantai Melayu area without prior coordination or permission from local village leaders.

The arrival of the authorities was met with immediate resistance. "This is our land; you have no right to enter without our permission," one resident shouted during the altercation. The situation escalated when Commissioner Rustam, seen standing atop a vehicle, was recorded dismissing the residents’ concerns, stating, "I have no business with you," before proceeding to drive into the heart of the village.

For the residents of Pantai Melayu, this is not merely a bureaucratic dispute over land boundaries; it is an existential threat. The installation of HPL signs—which the government claims is necessary for the development of the "Sekolah Rakyat Merah Putih," a flagship program of President Prabowo Subianto—is viewed by locals as a form of land grabbing.

A Pattern of Coercion: The Chronology of Conflict

The July 14 incident is not an isolated event but rather the latest in a series of intrusions that have plagued the Rempang community since the beginning of 2026. The recurring pattern suggests a strategy of administrative encroachment that consistently bypasses community consent.

• March 9, 2026: Residents discovered land surveying and marking activities for the "People’s School" project. No prior notice was given to the local RT (neighborhood) or RW (community) heads.
• June 9, 2026: Residents of Kampung Pantai Melayu staged a protest after discovering that BP Batam had installed boundary markers on private residential land.
• June 15–16, 2026: The conflict shifted to the "Taman Buru" (Hunting Park) forest area in Kampung Sei Raya. Residents intervened to stop topographical mapping and coordinate marking by BP Batam teams.
• June 20, 2026: Personnel from the Riau Islands Police’s Special Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimsus) arrived in Kampung Tanjung Lonce to gather spatial coordinates, causing further distress among villagers.
• July 1, 2026: Officials from the BPDAS (Watershed Management Agency) entered village land without notifying village authorities.
• July 2, 2026: BPDAS and state electricity company PLN officials arrived to document forest rehabilitation vegetation, further infringing on communal land.
• July 14, 2026: The installation of official BP Batam HPL signs reignites the conflict, leading to the standoff between residents and police.

According to Miswadi, an official from the Alliance of Rempang Galang Malay Community (Amar-GB), these events follow a singular, distressing pattern: authorities enter the villages under various pretexts—environmental studies, infrastructure planning, or security coordination—without engaging in any meaningful dialogue with the people who have lived on the land for generations.

The "People’s School" Paradox

The controversy centers on an 18.5-hectare plot of land designated for the "Sekolah Rakyat." While the government promotes the school as a benefit for the local population, the residents argue that the project is being used as a Trojan Horse for land acquisition.

Amsakar Achmad, the Head of BP Batam who also serves as the Mayor of Batam, has maintained that the project is in the land-clearing phase, claiming the area falls under the BP Batam HPL jurisdiction. However, villagers point out that of the 18.5 hectares, only 12 hectares were previously "cleared" from a former land manager, Hanjaya, who is currently under legal investigation for the illegal occupation of protected forest land. The remaining 6.5 hectares, which remain the subject of intense dispute, are currently occupied by the residents.

"We are not against the development of schools," said Gerisman Ahmad, a prominent local figure in Rempang. "But do not use our homes and our land to build them. If you want to build a school, there are other locations. We have even offered to help set up the school on the designated plot, but they insist on taking our residential land."

Expert Perspectives: Ethics and Governance

The approach taken by the state has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates and academics. Rina Mardiana, from the Indonesian Caucus for Academic Freedom (KIKA), argued that the government’s actions represent a fundamental failure in governance.

"Education is a human right, but using it as a justification for intimidation and military-style land acquisition is a betrayal of the very essence of education," Rina stated. "A school built upon the trauma of displacement and the violation of rights will never serve the community. It teaches the next generation that power justifies dispossession."

Teo Reffelsen, a defense manager for Walhi National, emphasized that the issue in Rempang is a classic struggle over land rights and indigenous territory. He urged the police to remain neutral. "The police must stop acting as the enforcement arm for land-grabbing projects. They should prioritize human rights and avoid criminalizing citizens who are simply defending their homes and livelihoods."

LBH Pekanbaru and other legal aid organizations have highlighted the "lack of meaningful participation" in the implementation of the National Strategic Project (PSN) known as "Rempang Eco-City." They argue that BP Batam, under the leadership of Amsakar Achmad, has consistently prioritized top-down policy implementation over the constitutional rights of the citizens.

Implications and The Way Forward

The ongoing tensions in Rempang underscore the broader, systemic issues surrounding the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects in Indonesia. When development is perceived as a threat rather than a benefit, the social contract between the state and the people is eroded.

The Solidarity Team for Rempang has issued a stern call to action, demanding:

1. An immediate cessation of all coercive surveying and land-marking activities in residential areas.
2. Transparent and open dialogue with the local community, ensuring that residents are treated as stakeholders rather than obstacles.
3. An independent audit of the land claims made by BP Batam to resolve the legal status of the disputed 6.5 hectares.
4. A shift in approach from intimidation to a human-rights-based model of development that respects the historical and customary land rights of the Rempang people.

As of the time of reporting, BP Batam officials, including Deputy for Public Services Ariastuty Sirait, have not responded to requests for comment. Similarly, the public relations division of the Barelang Police has remained silent regarding the conduct of officers in the field.

The situation in Rempang serves as a stark reminder of the cost of "development" when it is divorced from justice. For the people of Pantai Melayu, the presence of the "People’s School" sign is not a symbol of progress, but a daily reminder of the vulnerability of their ancestral lands. Until the government pivots toward genuine consultation and respects the sovereignty of the local residents, the conflict in Rempang is likely to persist, casting a long shadow over the future of the Rempang Eco-City project.