The Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network (AYIPN) strongly condemns the brutal attack by PT. Toba Pulp Lestari (PT TPL) against the Sihaporas Indigenous People in North Sumatra, Indonesia.
On September 22, 2025, PT TPL’s security personnel and hired goons launched a violent attack on the Indigenous People of Sihaporas at Buttu Pangaturan.
Armed with shields, wooden sticks, and helmets, around 150 company personnel assaulted community members who were peacefully demanding dialogue over their ancestral lands. According to local reports, the attack left 34 Indigenous People injured, including youth, students, and women, with 14 hospitalized, and community property destroyed. Five huts, four houses, vehicles, and essential equipment were burned or vandalized.
There were eight Indigenous youth, all members of BPAN, along with one university student conducting research, who became victims of this brutal violence. We honor and recognize the courage of these young Indigenous defenders who stood firm in protecting their ancestral lands, culture, and communities despite the threats they faced. Their bravery is a call to action—reminding us that Indigenous youth will not be silenced and will continue to resist the forces of land grabbing, state repression, and corporate exploitation.
In the days following, PT TPL blocked access roads and water sources, paralyzing the community’s economy. Harvested crops remain trapped in the fields, threatening food and livelihood security.
This violence is part of PT TPL’s long-standing land grab against the Lamtoras Indigenous Institution, which rightfully claims 2,000 hectares of ancestral land cultivated since the 1800s. However, the state granted concessions to PT TPL in the 1990s, fueling repeated clashes and systemic violence against Indigenous Peoples. PT TPL’s operations continue to trample on ancestral territories that Indigenous Peoples have inherited, safeguarded, and depended on for generations.
We call on PT TPL to immediately stop its violent operations and withdraw from Indigenous territories. We urge the Government of Indonesia to take urgent action to protect the Sihaporas community, hold PT TPL accountable, and uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The repression faced by the Sihaporas Indigenous Peoples defending their lands is not an isolated case. Across Asia and globally, communities continue to suffer violence and forced displacement through the collusion of corporations and states.
Such displacement does not only strip them of their ancestral lands—it threatens their future, erodes their cultures, and undermines the survival of generations to come. Indigenous Peoples’ rights to their ancestral territories and their right to self-determination must be recognized, respected, and protected.
In solidarity, we heed the call of BPAN to closely monitor the situation, extend support by issuing statements of solidarity, and urge the Indonesian government to deliver justice and hold accountable those responsible for this attack. Standing with Indigenous Peoples is not only an act of support but also a commitment to defend the rights of Indigenous Peoples across the globe.
#StopTheAttacks #ilihcampaign #indigenouslandsinindigenoushands #DefendAncestralLands
