The availability of clean water has long been a problem for the people of East Nusa Tenggara, including the city of Kupang as the provincial capital. So far, most of the people of Kupang City have relied on it otto water tanks (tank cars) owned by private companies. The community has to spend 60,000 rupiah to get 5,000 liters of clean water. However, existence otto tanks certainly cannot solve the problem of access to clean water experienced by the people of Kupang City. Because in some ways, existence otto the tank actually gave rise to other problems, such as damage to road infrastructure, and damage to groundwater due to the absence of clear regulations regarding routes otto tank.
One solution that was later provided by the central government to facilitate access to clean water was the construction of the Kolhua Dam in Kupang City. Among other regions, President Jokowi seems to be giving more priority to the construction of dams in NTT. During his first term as president, at least 7 dams in NTT were built. The three dams that have been completed are the Raknamo Dam in Kupang Regency, the Rotiklot Dam in Belu Regency, and the Napun Gete Dam in Sikka Regency, while the rest are under construction, including the Kolhua Dam in Maulafa District, Kupang City. Agrarian conflicts became inevitable whenever there was talk of dam construction in NTT, but only the Kolhua Dam managed to stop its construction.
Rejection By the Helong Tribe
The Kolhua Dam itself is located on the last piece of land inhabited collectively by the Helong Tribe. By Luitnan (2011), the Helong tribe is referred to as one of the original inhabitants of Kupang. The reasons for the rejection of the Helong Tribe in Kolhua include the existence of productive land, customary land which has been passed down from generation to generation, and the presence of ancestral burials. So, it was only natural that they tried their best to defend the Kolhua area (Talan, 2015). The condition of Kupang farmers whose skills are less diversified will certainly make it difficult in the future if they only get monetary compensation without a clear guarantee of land for farming. Customary land is an important aspect that cannot be simply forgotten, because Kolhua is inhabited by several clans who have intermarried and their siblings live in other parts of the island of Timor. Thus, the impact of the construction of the dam will not only be felt by local residents, but also by clan members in other areas.
The natural conditions of Kupang City make the area have limited productive land, usually only found on the riverbanks. Thus, the construction of dams will inevitably displace and reduce the amount of existing productive land. Meanwhile, if productive land in Kolhua is lost or reduced, the supply of vegetables in the Kupang City area will be affected. In other words, the impact of the construction of the dam is not only felt by the Helong people who live in Kolhua, but also by the people of Kupang City in general.
On the other hand, the effectiveness and management of the Kolhua Dam is still in question. Reflecting on the construction of the Tilong Dam in Central Kupang, Kupang Regency, it is evident that this large project has not been able to become a solution for providing clean water in NTT. Researcher at the Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change (IRGSC) Lodimeda Kini revealed that the government is used to making claims that a dam can irrigate many irrigation areas. In fact, the dam is only able to irrigate several areas and not a large amount of clean water[1].
When traced back, the resistance to dam construction in Kolhua has actually been quite a long time. In 2015, the people of Kupang City managed to stop the construction of the dam. This success was inseparable from the solidarity of civil society which was supported by the political conditions of Kupang City in that era. Civil society always advocated and waged a discourse war with the city government, which at that time was led by Jonas Salean. As a result, the people of Kolhua unanimously voted against development. Apart from civil society, Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat, who at that time was a member of the Indonesian Parliament, also voiced his objection. Viktor himself comes from the Helong Tribe. It can be said that solidarity in that era consisted of civil society and the support of figures from legislative figures, who were then able to stop the discourse on the construction of the Kolhua Dam in Kupang City.
The dynamics surrounding the Kolhua Dam then turned into a political issue. Jonas Salean, a figure who is considered the most keen on building dams, lost the 2017 mayoral election. On the other hand, Viktor Laiskodat won the 2018 NTT Governor Election, and managed to win the most votes in the City and District of Kupang. Ironically, after Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat became Governor of NTT, the discourse on dam construction has resurfaced. Viktor, who also comes from the Helong Tribe, certainly has quite high trust from the native tribes who inhabit Kolhua, and it is easier to negotiate.
In its development, changes also occurred amidst the solidarity of the Kolhua people. Now, only a handful of people remain who reject the existence of the Kolhua dam. Civil society movements and NGOs that help advocate are no longer fully involved in overseeing issues. As a result, there are no serious parties overseeing the discourse on the construction of the Kolhua Dam. Media releases said that only 37 out of 136 heads of households refused to participate in socialization[2] (Kompas.com, 7 April 2022).
A Reflection
It seems impossible if the Kolhua Dam is actually cancelled, as in other development cases initiated by the central government. After the transfer of political power, it is evident that the discourse on the construction of the Kolhua Dam has continued. However, that does not mean that civil society's struggle to claim their rights just stops. The struggle to obtain compensation for land as a place to live and escort after the construction of the dam is something that still needs to be continued. In fact, civil society needs to ensure that the Kolhua Dam issue does not just become a commodity to be played again in order to get votes in the 2024 election.
This means that the tactic being used so as not to injure the rights of the community is no longer a rejection of the construction of the dam, but rather regarding escorting the Kolhua Dam issue, so that in the future the amount of water supplied will be sufficient for the people of Kupang City. Because the uncertainty regarding the relocation and management of the dam was a factor that caused the construction of the Kolhua Dam to be colored by conflict and resistance from the people of Kupang City. For this reason, according to Cendana University FISIP lecturer Rudi Rohi, the discussion on dams does not only stop at development, but also on management.[3].
Specifically regarding the Helong Tribe community, the assistance strategy by the civil society movement must be directed so that the government prepares a scheme that can guarantee its survival. Because, quoting the words of Rudi Rohi, humans cannot be separated from the land which is the source of their livelihood. If indeed relocation must occur, then the community must obtain new land with the status of productive land. Of course this is not an easy matter, because the amount of productive land that has been the foundation of the life of the Helong Tribe is very limited. The alternative that can be done according to him is to exchange residents' land with food estate as the government has done when building the Rotiklot and Raknamo Dams. That way, the people's land rights are not eliminated, but exchanged with them food estate which, although small, is a production space for the residents.
Source :
Talan, John Peter. 2015. The Future of Water Governance and Challenges to Water Supply through Dams in Indonesia (Case Study of Embung Development Conflicts in NTT). Working Paper No. 13. Institute of Resource Governance and Social Change.
Luitnan, Isaac Aries. 2015. Koepang Tempo Doeloe. Ruas Publisher, Depok.
Personal interview, July 13, 2022
Personal interview, July 12, 2022
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