PT Toba Pulp Lestari faces land and environmental complaints

Residents near the PT Toba Pulp Lestari (TPL) concession area in North Sumatra have raised concerns regarding environmental issues and ancestral land rights. These grievances have intensified following the Attorney General's Office designating TPL as a corporate suspect in a corruption case involving alleged transfer pricing and under-invoicing practices.

Local community members report various hardships, including restricted access to ancestral graves, droughts, and suspected pollution. One resident, Veronika Siallagan, described a confrontation with security forces that occurred when she was prevented from visiting ancestral burial sites, resulting in physical injuries.