Authorities to relocate residents in E. Lombok

Authorities to relocate residents in E. Lombok

Panca Nugraha , The Jakarta Post , Lombok | Wed, 12/09/2009 3:39 PM | National

Authorities of East Lombok administration will relocate around 450 residents of Gili Sunut island in exchange for a planned tourism resort by a Singapore-based investment company.

The administration spokesperson Sujono said on Wednesday that the residents who did not have any official land ownership would be moved to Teranjah-Anjah, Pemongkong village or about 10 kilometers from the island.

“We expect they can still go to sea since the would-be new place is not too far from beach,” Sujono said.

He added that the investor from PT Blue Ocean would construct new houses and public facilities, such as a public health center and an elementary school, for the residents.

The 7.5-hectares island has lured the investors with its white sands and natural views, he said.

JAKARTA POST

Hello Gemma

This is really a shame...

I don't know what authorities are planning in this area. Lombok is so traditionnal and not the place for such big projects. Now many tourists are looking for the REAL LIFE and want to discover something different. "Ethnic" tourism (I don't like this word but I don't know another) and sustainable tourism is the future. Those big resorts like Nusa Dua style are the past. Why they don't understand this?

Here is an interesting article in bahasa indonesia, that explain the fishermen of Gili Sunut are forced to sign the relocation agreement:
http://www.pelita.or.id/baca.php?id=76527

Automatic translation:
Dozens of residents Gili Sunut Desa Pemongkong, Kecamatan Jerowaru, that called himself the Union of the Sunut Community (the SMS), on Thursday (30/7) visited the office People's Representative Council Daerah (DPRD) the Regency Lombok Timur (Lotim). The arrival of dozens of residents had a purpose did hearing and reminded Regional Government (the Regional Government) Lombok Timur and his apparatus to no longer came to this small island if his arrival only intimidated the resident around.
To the reporter, Sayadi one of the activists who at that time accompanied dozens of residents this Gili Sunut said, on the occasion of developed Lombok Timur the southern part as the south region of the coastal tour, apparently Regional Government local must carry out the relocation and vacated the small island that have inhabitants 109 head of household. The resident has felt the resident felt at home in this island and refused to direlokasi, at first again they have had the permanent house, although several times the Lotim Regional Government carried out the approach with the community around to want to be moved to Tampah Se- Bui Desa Pemongkong. Chairman SMS, Amaq Ikhsan to the reporter told uptil now the government side often visited and urgent, in fact pressed the resident around to want to sign the letter of the resident's agreement to direlokasi, through to last Monday (28/7), Asisten I Sekretariat of the Area of the Regency (Setdakab) Lombok Timur, was accompanied by the Jerowaru Sub-district Head in the sub-district head's local office invited the Sunut community to sign this letter of the relocation agreement. Because felt was threatened finally the community wanted mena you handled this statement.
Not that, the increase also, apart from his side was threatened by the Assistant I if not wanting to sign the agreement, at that time the Sub-district Head Jerowaru also intimidated the resident with mengepalkan his hands on the floor. The assistant I Drs H Muhasim when being confirmed the reporter in his office, on Thursday denied himself intimidated and threatened the resident around in the Gili Sunut problem.

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Gili Sunut is a small island in South East Lombok. Bupati want this area to be a first-class tourism area. He simply forget that people living there are not poor and don't need such big hotels. People living from fishing, lobster and seeweed, and all we can read in books about this poor area is 100% false. 10 years ago it was, now not. A monthly fisherman is 1 juta if he doesn't want to work too much, and 5 juta or more if he works a lot. Only a few farmers living far from the sea are still in the poor class, but economic success is coming little by little with better agriculture (irrigation).
Money from big resorts will not go in local people pockets.

Here is a Google Earth view of Gili Sunut



and here some photos taken by a german traveller
http://www.hpgrumpe.de/reisebilder/lombok/lombok_26a.htm

At the end of this month I will be back to Lombok and try to meet the kepala desa to know about the situation and visit this island that I just discover on Google Earth few weeks ago (the photos of this area have been recently updated).

Thanks Lolo for sucha detailed reply. I do not know the area and this article is the first of what I have heard about this planned resort but I agree with you - it is not what Lombok needs. I will be interested to see what comes about with your discussion with the kepala desa.

Keep us posted.

Why does the Bupati this?
A) He wants to develop this area to help the people.
B) He wants to develop this area to help his own bankaccount.
Choose the right answer.
It,s still one of the most remote areas in Lombok.For a fanatic motorcyclist like me it,s still fun there.It,s a real pain in the butt area at the end of the day.In March this year i travelled again around in this area and it,s still beautiful there.On the way back from Tanjung Ringgit i went toTemeak and from there you have a bad road towards the Sunut bay where you can see the island.From there I wanted to Tolone following the bay but got a littlebit lost in the locale wildernis till I got back on the "main"road.So I decided to go to Seriwe and spend the night there in some local residents house.The next day to Kaliantan,Tanjung Sangulap and up again to Ekas,Pemokong and pelan-pelan back to Ampenan.So i fully agree,no resorts in this area.

tjabemerah wrote:

So i fully agree,no resorts in this area.

But plenty of projects !!
I hear about a lot of resorts projects there, local people explained me that a quite big hotel is planned near Heaven On the Planet

Of course tourism development may be not 100% bad, eco-resorts like Heaven are good, even they are overpriced. The impact of Heaven is very low on local culture, and the hotel is involved in some environmental projects. Accomodation like that is OK. But when swimming-pools and air condition start to come, they bring new type of tourists and new mentalities that destroy the traditionnal culture.

Yes, me too, I like too much driving motorcycle there So nice... no helmet... freedom !

Kaliantan is THE place of Bau Nyale Sasak festival. Bau Nyale in Kuta is very famous but in reality this is a small copy of the real Kaliantan Bau Nyale, last year I was the unique European with maybe 10.000 Sasak people !

Like you, I always stay in the house of my friend there.... just to learn the real life and bahasa Lombok :-)

One year ago, Bupati came to Ekas and explained the population that South East Lombok tourism development is one of his priority, due to the highest potential of the area... He wants to solve quickly the problem of electricity and water...

I do not really blame Bupati. As a politician, I can understand he wants to make money with the international airport and maybe for himself (we are in Indonesia!).
What I can not understand is the tourists: why do they need luxury resorts? Why they want to find the same than they have in their own country? Why do they need swimming-pool when they have the blue see? Big hotels like Hilton, Sheraton etc... exists only because they have customers. Big hotel chains destroy the ecosystems and local culture because customers ask for this. The consumer has the power...

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http://www.hst-architect.com/portfolio.html

http://www.oceanbluehotelbali.com/

Sorry, just a correction. Hotel Planet is not an eco resort. They may have little impact on the local environment but that alone doesn't constitute an eco resort. I personally witnessed spraying of insecticide and cutting grass with a gas powered weed eater machine. Call it what is. A budget hotel in a beautiful setting. Problem the price is not budget. I would be very disappointed if there was a big development there. Where did you get your information? My biggest fear is that the developers at Ekas will use their "influence' to privatize the surf spots there. Not allowing even boats access. It's been done on Sumba already. Tom

Tom I know about these controverses. My information, I get from local people and internet only.
In Ekas, I know everybody, everybody knows me. I have never heard something bad about the hotel or his boss Karry Black, according to them. They just just find him little "plite" (don't want to give money). Now Heaven has no worker from Ekas because the salary is too low and lobster/seeweed make from money with fewer work. Well, good news !
Then M. Black is an oceanographer and he has an active role in qubstainable aquaculture development http://www.asrltd.com/projects/lombok/

By satellite (Google Earth), by boat or by motorcycle, the hotel has no impact on landscape. Only 2 kilometers from the hotel, Sasak people are normally living and are not tourists slaves (like those human machines in Bali repeating "transport transport").

This is all I know. I am not a pro-active Heaven project, but not an anti also... I just see with my eyes.

Two years ago it was possible to sleep in Heaven for 150.000R for 2. Now you must add a zero. Sure really overpriced... But hotel is still full !
As always, why blaming only businessmen? There are enough stupid people to overpay the stay in Heaven... Once again: consumer has the power.

Me also, I fear about a crazy "development" there and it is very possible that one day the waves near Heaven will be not accessible to everybody, like luxury Nihiwatu Hotel in Sumba. The fact is that M. Black owns most of the land there, and is a oceanographer, so if you combine his business and environmental power, he may get such authorizations quite easily... I am not a surfer, so for me this is not a so big problem, but I understand you of course, it is very frustrating too see your slice of Paradise getting in the pockets of businessmen.

My own fear is about a big resort project near Heaven (100's of rooms), or a petrol industry may be planned near Awang. Petrol industry... in a Bay that may have a place in World Heritage list !

Very good Lolo. I agree with you that Kerry is not a bad person. I have never met him personally but I don't disagree with what he has going on. In a capitalist society demand dictates price. If people will pay then so be it. I also would rather see it like how it is rather than Nihiwatu. But that's a whole other topic. I just don't where or who came up with the term "eco resort". And what qualifies. Do you know if Greg is still there. He was an Aussie who I believe bought part ownership a few years. I heard his wife didn't adjust well to the change from Aus. As long as other surfers can still access by boat and they don't ruin the local environment and culture, which they're not, I'm fine. Michael got into it with Greg before over land access to the surf. Greg wouldn't allow him access to the surf from his land. Which he had every right to do. It would be nice if there were a public right of way but I don't think that'll ever happen. Tom

Hello

Well I don't know anybody in Heaven I stay only with Sasak fishermen and sleep in there house Just get some informations from them + internet. I tried to contact M. Black as I am (will be!) his neighbour (I have 2 ha of land in Ekas) but without success.

And I am not a surfer so I don't know about regulations. But normally beach is in public domain and it is forbidden to build anything at less than 50m from the sea... my land's nominee explained me this, so I suppose this regulation exists even in Indonesia...

That is very interesting Lolo. I mean that you own the land there. It sounds like you know that area well and enjoy it. I love it myself too. That's why I'm so sensative to it. I hope to meet you some day. I currently live in USA with my wife and son but plan to move to Lombok in a couple years. If you don't mind my asking a few questions please? Where do you live and what is your nationality? Where is your land in relation to hotel planet? I'll try not to get any more inquisitive than that. Tom.

Hello Tom

Well I own I have bought a land that belongs now to my nominee (my sasak little brother).
We are the best friends I can not travel without him. He is fisherman in the village we talk about and never travelled outside the village. So now we travel together, we have already been together to Bali, all around Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo, Flores, Sumba, Roti, Alor and Pantar, and next month we go to Banda and Kei Islands in Maluku. I pay everything for him of course but money in not a problem, it is a real good experience for both of us, and I hope it make a strong trust between us for the future... One day he may be a billionnaire (in Rupiah) with the land and this is not really what I wish... In Indonesia trust in people is the key of success, not trust in law.

My lands (I have 2 ) are located very near Ekas. Not beautiful beach there, but nice panorama. Lands near Heaven are better, but I don't have enough money to buy them and I don't want a big investment as the risk for foreigner is very high in Indonesia.

So, like you, I am planning to live there in a few years, as soon as I will have enough money to start. I am too young for stopping work, so I must open a business (like tourists bungalows, but priority will be to try to minimize the impact on fishermen life: fishermen are living happy there, and tourists will be happy too see a real fishing village, this is my concept). I do not have any relation with Planet. (you are right, local people say Planet and not Heaven, so let's use Planet). I stayed maybe only one hour there with my girlfriend, she wanted to have a good sleep in a hotel, but me I could not sleep there, too much boring, it is so fun to sleep in sasak house
I have bought my land from local people, there some more lands available and well... i am starting to choose my neighbours :-)

Oh, by the way, I am french and for sure the most famous french in Ekas... I am rather sure you can ask for me even if I am not here

Well, I am quite worried about the future there. I am afraid that the area may become like Nusa Dua... All is good there for making a new Nusa Dua. They start now with this crazy hotel that will move the population. Unbelievable... Nusa Dua concept is old fashionned, now more and more tourist like traditionnal, real life, ecology, they need to forget our crazy society during their holidays. Air-con, swimming-pool, pizzas, discotheque and luxury are definitely not usefull in the Copenhagen 2009 new world...

Haha Lolo you are an interesting well spoken fellow for sure. I look forward to meeting you in Lombok some day. We share many similarities. I too stay alot in the village. My wife is Sasak and I enjoy dividing my time between Sengkol (her village) and Kuta. The village is slow but not quiet like I would think. Lots of kids, animals, etc. It's funny, when someone approaches they begin speaking loudly, or actually yelling, far before they actually arrive. I find myself somewhat of an attraction being the novel bule. I get more attention than I would care for. But it is appreciated and if it gets a bit much a couple days in Kuta is all I need. Actually now that we have a child he is by far the center of attention and they have all but forgotten about me. When he was not much more than a baby he was being bathed outside and it seemed like half the village came to see.
I love the Sasak people and especially my wife's family. They literally treat me like I'm a king. Where I come from I'm just a regular guy at best. One time I had to ditch my sister in law at the outdoor market. She was sent to escort me to make sure I wasn't taken advantage of. I took exception to that and ditched her. She didn't think it was funny. She took her job serously.
You have been to many places. Some of which are on my list of places to go. As a surfer Sumba and Roti are two places I'd like to and haven't yet been. Speaking of surfers. I knew a french guy in Kuta a few years ago. Don't know if you spend any time there. I can't remember his name but he was easy to describe. He was looking at buying land in the area. Nice guy and we surfed together several times at mawi and Outside Ekas too I think. He was muscular with a shaved head. And french. Can't be too many like that. Oh Sasha was his name I think. Just wonder what came of him.
How does your girlfriend like lombok? I would imagine it's quite different from France. It sure is from the USA. Well, good luck in Ekas and hope to see you some day. Tom.

Hello Tom

Well I don't know any Tom in Ekas but maybe you speak about Sengkol?
Yes same for me of course. When I am there, I feel like a Pop Star and I realize now the Pop Star life is not so easy everyday
I can not walk 200m without having to reply 10 times to "m'belai?!" (were do you go?) - especially when I carry with me some fishing material, I would like to speak better sasak and reply something stupid like "well I am going to meet Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, did you not guess?".
Sometimes me and my Sasak brother have lunch inside house because we are getting boring by all those "apa kando?" (what do you eat?). My friend already told me it is like that only whe I am here.
But it is OK for me. Maybe if I live here one day it will more problematic to be the local George Michael... Now the bigger problem is dogs !!! My god it is so difficult to sleep. Many time I fight against them: just imagine during the night, only one 1.80m white skin european is walking in village in sarong (I like too much), trying to throw stones to dogs to make them understand they can play in front of any house except mine...

My girlfriend did not like too much this experience. I say did because we separate (hum... just after this trip ) She did not enjoy too much to be a local celebrity, and of course girl usually need a minimum confort and there is no running water in my friend's house (his wife is carrying liters and liters of water every day and I am not authorized to help her). I can understand a such experience is much easier for a boy than a girl: my girlfriend was many time shocked by the Sasak women status, which is much under than boy (like my sasak brother say: "boy is king in Lombok"). So I understand that most of candidates for the Lombok dream are more men than women...

Very interesting: how did you get married with a Sasak woman? As a white-skin and orang bello (tall), finding my future wife is very easy But this is a problem when I say I am not muslim, and problem seems to be serious as I am "ndai sunat" (this one I can not translate here, ask your wife )

I hope one day we will be neighbours so very easy to meet !

Well Lolo when i met my wife i had already traveled quite a bit around Indonesia and ha met and gotten to know many Muslim people. I was open minded and accepted Islam as my religion. I never would have married my wife if not. It is not an easy road to travel I will tell you. There are many women in Indonesia and even Lombok as you know, who are not Muslim. Hindu and Christian. I would not change my choice but it sure isn't for everyone. Also my wife is not like many Sasak women. She was an independent woman and provider for her family when I met her. She is smarter than me. Business savy. There seems to be alot of contradictions between her and the typical stereotype of a Sasak Muslim woman. I guess that's one of the reasons I love her. She's unique. Therefore our particular relationship is somewhat unique.
I hope when we meet we can do some fishing together. I hope to be active in fishing with line and spear when I live there. I really enjoy the ocean. Hope you can teach me some fishing techniques. I would like to learn to throw a net also. Tom.

So if I understand well you moved to Islam. I already thought about that. I don't know how strong in your religious pratice so I don't want to talk to much about this :-)

Ha ha me teaching you fishing technics?? I don't know to do !! But my friend is fishing guide on sunday for Mataram people, so you can learn many

I can't play the clip Lolo. I get an error message. I don't think it is my connection because I can usually watch clips on Youtube.

Some photos of Gili Sunut now...

The authorities are now building a new village to relocate the 109 fishermen living in this island.
They will get new houses, school, and probably money. Some habitants are already ready to move, but most of them don't want to leave the island, but they don't have any choice: everybody must go and will... The chain hotel Ocean Blue will start building the 6 stars hotel soon.

Will Tanjung Ringgit area become the next Nusa Dua in Lombok??

Hi all

I have finished my video... Unfortunately weather for New Year was not good...