jpnn.com, JAKARTA – On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, dozens of fishing boats from Cilincing, along with their coastal community members, formed a peaceful procession along the waters of Jakarta Bay. This demonstration was far more than just a protest; it was a resounding cry for survival from people who have been historically marginalized, displaced, and are now slowly being erased from the very spaces they have protected for generations.
“We are coastal communities and fishermen. We are the guardians of the coast. We are living witnesses to a sea that once provided abundantly, but is now increasingly being plundered in the name of Development,” stated Rahmat Legowo, Secretary General of the Jakarta Bay Fishermen’s Alliance Congress (KANAL Teluk Jakarta), in a press statement released on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.
Legowo emphasized that over the past few years, fishermen and coastal communities have personally witnessed how major policies and large-scale projects consistently favor capital interests over the sustainable livelihoods of the region’s fishermen and coastal inhabitants. This imbalance threatens their existence and access to vital marine resources.
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“Our fishing grounds are shrinking. Our access is restricted. Our environment is being damaged, and our voices are being ignored,” Rahmat Legowo asserted, highlighting the dire consequences of unchecked development.
The Cilincing Fishermen’s Village and the wider coastal communities issued a powerful declaration outlining their stance:
– We do not reject development itself. We reject injustice and arbitrary actions.
– We unequivocally reject policies that:
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a. Sacrifice coastal communities and small-scale fishermen without clear, adequate protection.
b. Ignore the severe ecological impacts that damage our seas and coastlines.
c. Close off honest and equitable avenues for dialogue among the government, corporations, and the community.
d. Negate our very existence throughout the entire development process.
This peaceful action serves as a crucial warning against the continuous marginalization and alienation we face in every new development initiative. We affirm that the sea is not merely an economic asset; it is our living space, our identity, and our future.
Therefore, we demand:
1. A moratorium on projects that directly impact the livelihoods of fishermen and coastal communities until transparent and impartial studies are conducted, prioritizing economic and ecological justice for all Indonesian citizens.
2. Active involvement of coastal communities in every policy-making and decision-making process that affects our marine territories.
3. Tangible legal protection and certainty for the customary land and sea tenure rights of coastal communities and fishermen across Jakarta Bay and its entire coastline.
4. Comprehensive restoration of the marine environment that has been severely damaged by coastal development and industrialization activities.
5. Transparency regarding the future direction of development for Jakarta Bay and its coast, including details on the NPEA project by Pelindo and the reclamation efforts by PT KCN.
We firmly believe that the state exists to protect all its citizens, including the coastal communities and fishermen of Jakarta, without exception. If our pleas go unheard from the sea, we are resolute in our intention to bring our boats and our amplified voices to the heartland of government, ensuring our demands are met.
We will not be silent.
We will not disappear.
We will continue to stand, united with our waves and our history.
Sincerely,
Cilincing Fishermen’s Village, alongside all Coastal Communities and Fishermen of Jakarta Bay.(fri/jpnn)
Summary
On April 14, 2026, fishermen and coastal communities from Cilincing, Jakarta, staged a peaceful protest in Jakarta Bay. They highlighted how large-scale development projects continually marginalize them, encroaching upon their traditional living spaces and diminishing marine resources. Rahmat Legowo of KANAL Teluk Jakarta stated that their fishing grounds are shrinking, access is restricted, and the environment is being damaged by development prioritizing capital over livelihoods.
The communities emphasized they do not oppose development itself, but reject unjust policies that sacrifice them, ignore ecological impacts, and exclude them from dialogue. They demand a moratorium on projects impacting their livelihoods, active involvement in policy-making, legal protection of their customary rights, and transparency regarding future development plans for Jakarta Bay. They affirm their commitment to continue advocating for their existence and rights if their pleas are ignored.