Paperu People Will Sue PT Maluku Diving and Tourism

Indigenous Peoples of Negeri Paperu, Saparua, Central Maluku will sue PT Maluku Diving and Tourism. The company owned by Kurt Walter Gross, a Swiss, has grabbed ancestral ocean of and intimidated people of Negeri Paperu, said the Indigenous Peoples’ Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN), Wednesday (31/7).

This ancestral domain grabbing started in 2007, when PT Maluku Diving and Tourism initiated the development of Cape Paperu Resort and Spa. It got worse in 2008. “Negeri Paperu indigenous community’s members are often evicted and insulted. The people’s equipment used to cultivate marine products are damaged by the company,” said Patricia Wattimena, AMAN’s Human Rights and International Affair Staff. The police and military are also alleged to be involved in intimidating and terrorizing the Indigenous Peoples of Negeri Paperu.

Pengkaplingan (consolidation/subdivision of lots) of Cape Paperu, also known as Cape Souino, has caused the loss of local people’s livelihood. Whereas for generations, they have been depending their lives on the marine products.

“This is obviously a violation of the rights of Indigenous Peoples. No one can claim an ocean as his personal property. Moreover, the company only has contract on the land, so it doesn’t have any right on the shore and ocean of Cape Souino. The ocean has a lot of fishes and is the place to conduct Paperu’s traditional ritual. This grabbing is indeed a dangerous threat for the community,” said Clif Kissya, the chair of AMAN’s Local Chapter in Lesse.

Yohanes Balubun, the chair of AMAN’s Regional Chapter in Maluku affirmed that this case will go through legal process. “This can be tolerated anymore. The company’s owner never negotiates with Paperu people. The people, with advocacy of AMAN, will file this case to the court.”

Yohanes also express his disappointment with local government that seems to favor the company. “A few days ago, someone from the provincial Cultural and Tourism Office came dan claimed that she wanted to mediate this case. Suspiciously, she was accommodated by PT Maluku Diving and Tourism. We are disappointed with local government, especially Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu because he delegated a staff whom we perceived being fail and deviating from the basic principles of being a mediator in this Paperu case.”

On 26 July 2013, the Indigenous Peoples of Negeri Paperu erected placard to remark their ancestral domain in Cape Souino. At that time, someone from the Cultural and Tourism Office, introducing herself as L. Sopacua, came and claimed as official delegation of the Governor of Maluku to assist the conflict settlement process between the community and the company. It was then disclosed that her visit was funded and facilitated by PT Maluku Diving and Tourism.