Exclusion of Nias Squatters and Expansion of Oil Palm Plantation

This article examines causes and consequences of a brutal expulsion, in 2010, of Nias migrants in West Sumatra, Indonesia, in the context of the region’s social history, its politics and the expansion of the oil palm industry. As the industry expanded, local Minangkabau people trespassed into protected forests to extend their private oil palm claims, and Nias workers began squatting in these areas. An influx of migrants occurred when a mega-quake hit Nias island in 2005 bringing the number of squatters to 700. They engaged in palm harvesting on steep terrain, the most commonly held job among these migrants to West Sumatra where the industry’s hegemonic order, exploiting long-standing cultural hierarchies, relegated Nias workers to this low-status job. In 2009, a regent candidate was elected after securing 94% of the 15,000 Nias vote, including that of squatters who were already a source of bitter contention. This ultimately lead to their being targeted for forcible expulsion