By: Bachtiar Sitanggang
Administrator
Saturday, March 01, 2025 23:38 WIB
Ist|PelitaBatak
IN the Toba Batak tradition, (or perhaps in all Batak people), if a Boru-Parboruon family experiences a disaster, often the Hula-hula or Raja ni Tutur pays special attention to the Boru/Parboruon who has been hit by the disaster by bringing "boras si Pir Ni Tondi", with the hope of "mulak Tondi tu Badan". Many people believe that the presence of parents/Hula-hula like that can restore the spirit of the family who has just been hit by the disaster.
Reading news in online media entitled "Joint Prayer to Care for the Nature of Tano Batak, Ephorus HKBP: Tano Batak is Part of God's Creation that Must be Cared for and Protected" is truly like "Mulak tondi tu Badan" or a free translation "Returning the soul and spirit to the body" of the community who has been afflicted with years of prolonged suffering due to the pressure and oppression that has fallen on several families whose rights and ownership of inherited land and hereditary customary rights have been seized without mercy and compassion.
As far as I know, there have probably been four or five Ephoruses as the Supreme Leader of the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) congregation which has its head office in Tarutung, North Tapanuli and whose congregation originates from and mostly resides in the Lake Toba area, only Ephorus Rev. Dr. Victor Tinambunan who held a Joint Prayer for Caring for the Nature of Tano Batak in fighting against land grabbing and the ecological crisis.
Ephorus HKBP Rev. Dr. Viktor Tinambunan held a Joint Prayer for Caring for Tano Batak Nature, at Wisma Raja Daud HKBP Resort Lumbanjulu, Saturday (1/3/2025) Within the framework of Church and People Solidarity, Ephorus HKBP Rev. Dr. Viktor Tinambunan, who also led the service, was attended by the Secretary General (Sekum) of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), Rev. Darwin Dharmawan, Secretary General of HKBP Rev. Rikson Hutahaean and high-ranking officials of the HKBP Head Office, District and Resort.
Also present were members of the DPD RI, Rev. Penrad Siagian; Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission Saurlin Siagian; and Pastors from Church Denominations in the Lake Toba Area; Abdon Nababan, Member of the Toba DPRD, Candrow Manurung, Member of the Simalungun DPRD and other social activists.
In his statement at the press conference, Ephorus said that the purpose of the joint prayer was to refresh the Christian faith that this earth belongs to God and Tano Batak is part of God's creation that must be protected and cared for.
"This Batak land is God's creation and is loved by God. Therefore, everything must be truly in harmony with God's will and all who exist must respect this Batak land so that it remains sustainable," said Ephorus.
The newly elected Ephorus on December 5, 2024, stated that the churches will continue to move to build networks with various parties so that Batak land remains sustainable. The rights of the people must be restored and all Batak people can prosper in their own land.
"Regarding the natural conditions of the Batak land, looking at the facts that have occurred recently regarding the events that have occurred, the conditions are not good," he said.
Specifically, the former Secretary General of HKBP also conveyed a moral message to everyone, especially to church members who are experiencing this environmental damage through the church's message to repent.
Indeed, it is difficult to avoid because the duties and work of fellow HKBP people often face each other, both as employees of pulp industry companies and employees of fish cages that pollute Lake Toba, facing the community who defend their rights which are often ignored by government officials, let alone by employees of business people, even the roads are fenced off and cannot be passed.
It should be noted that the problem of deforestation has long changed the ecosystem in the Lake Toba area with the establishment of PT IIU on April 26, 1983 and starting commercial operations on April 1, 1989. Then with a long journey it changed to PT TPL on November 15, 2020.
But besides PT IIU/PT TPL, forest encroachment also continues to occur with illegal logging which is quite threatening the sustainability of forests in the natural forests of North Sumatra, especially around Lake Toba and Samosir Island. It is said to be illegal but not prosecuted, which is true cannot be distinguished.
In addition to the impact of forest encroachment that disrupts the cleanliness of Lake Toba, the people are still complaining about the Floating Cages owned by a foreign company PT Aqua Farm which is engaged in fish farming in Lake Toba which is quite disturbing and some have even said they no longer dare to bathe in Lake Toba because it is polluted. The turbidity and dirtiness of Lake Toba has also been complained about by the Coordinating Minister for Investment at that time, General Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, although there has been no visible follow-up.
Ephorus as a cleric firmly invites us all, "Don't let your brothers and sisters be interested in this corruption and question it as if the church has deviated from its function and duties. Repent and return to the right path," he said.
This call from the Ephorus also applies to parties who do not carry out their duties and responsibilities for the preservation and care of the environment as God's Creation.
The pastor who once shed tears when he witnessed the entrance and exit of one of the villages fenced off, also knows very well the events experienced by many residents of the Lake Toba area who were intimidated and even went to prison, so this Ephorus also called for avoiding violence. Both physical violence including verbal violence.
As far as I know, since PT IIU to PT TPL now, only today, Saturday, March 1, 2025, has Ephorus given special attention and invited the public to pray so that a shared awareness will grow that preserving the environment as God's Creation is necessary and at the same time reminding all parties to REPENT.
With the efforts of Ephorus Tinambunan, it is not wrong if I say as 'Mulak Tondi tu Badan", at least like "a drop of water in the dry season" for the people who have suffered because their rights have been taken away so far. May God bless the efforts to improve His Creation".***
The author is a senior journalist and advocate domiciled in Jakarta.
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