JAKARTA — The mysterious death of Vian Ruma, a 30-year-old activist opposing a geothermal project on Flores Island, has intensified calls for stronger protection of environmental defenders in Indonesia, where attacks against them have more than doubled this year.

Vian was found dead in Nagekeo district on Sept. 5, hanging from a rafter inside a bamboo hut. His family allege foul play, noting that his body was reportedly hanging from a shoelace, and his feet were in contact with the floor. They say this undermines the notion that he died from hanging.

Eda Tukan, a close friend, said Vian was one of the local youths courageous enough to fight against the geothermal project on Flores Island. The project has been widely opposed, including by the local Catholic archdiocese.

“This week we had planned another action to continue voicing opposition to the geothermal project. Vian was one of the driving forces,” Eda said as quoted by Indonesian daily Kompas. “Sadly, he is no longer with us.”

The Nagekeo district police chief, Rachmad Muchamad Salili, said police are currently investigating the cause of Vian Ruma’s death.

“We are still conducting a deeper investigation, we still cannot confirm [the cause of death],” he said as quoted by local news outlet.

The government designated Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara province, a “geothermal island” in 2017, with the potential to generate nearly 1,000 megawatts of clean electricity thanks to the high level of seismic activity in the region.

But communities have resisted the developments, citing a failed project in Ngada district, adjacent to Nagekeo, that triggered mud eruptions and damaged farmland, and warning of displacement in areas like Poco Leok in Manggarai district, where protests have led to clashes with police.

Muhamad Isnur, chair of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI), said Vian’s death reflects a broader pattern of violence targeting environmental defenders.

Most violence and killings of activists over the past 10 years in Indonesia have targeted environmental defenders, making the country one of the most dangerous for activists, Isnur said.

“Our suspicion is that Vian was murdered because of his environmental advocacy — because he was involved in opposing the geothermal project,” Isnur told Mongabay. “This is a horrifying and unusual tragedy, and it must be seen as a serious threat not only to Vian but to all who oppose the geothermal project.”

Isnur called on the national police chief to immediately identify and prosecute those responsible, and to expose any corporate interests behind the case. He also called on the United Nations to investigate should the Indonesian state fail to act.

“If the state refuses, it can be deemed unwilling and unable, and reportable to the U.N.,” he said. “If the victim’s family is willing, we will report this to the U.N.”

Advocates say Vian’s case risks being overshadowed by other recent high-profile killings, such as that of Affan Kurniawan, a 21-year-old food delivery rider who was run over by an armored police truck during a protest in Jakarta on Aug. 28. His death triggered nationwide outrage against the police and the country’s political elites, resulting in massive violent demonstrations, burning of police stations, and looting of politicians’ homes.

“Vian’s case has been underreported,” Isnur said. “That’s why we must push through social media and every channel to pressure the government.”

Daniel Johan, a lawmaker overseeing environmental issues, stressed that Vian’s death should serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting environmental activists who fight for community rights and environmental preservation.

“This case is not only about the loss of a citizen’s life, but also raises serious questions about the protection of local communities and environmental activists who are fighting to preserve their land and natural resources,” Daniel said as quoted by local news. “There must be no intimidation, violence, or criminalization of critical voices from communities regarding strategic projects.”

A rising trend

Vian’s death comes as attacks on environmental human rights defenders are escalating under President Prabowo Subianto, who took office in October 2024.

Between January and June this year, at least 28 cases of threats and attacks were recorded — more than double the 13 cases during the same period last year, according to Indonesian NGO Satya Bumi and the global nonprofit Protection International.

Criminalization — in which activists face the threat of criminal charges under on spurious or baseless grounds — accounted for the largest share, with 16 cases involving at least 61 individuals and six groups. The main perpetrators — the ones bringing the charges — were the police and companies that were the object of the activists’ protests.

One recent case is that of Erasmus “Mus” Frans, an outspoken activist and former local legislator on Rote Island, also in East Nusa Tenggara province.

He was arrested after accusing property developer PT Bo’a Development of blocking public access to a beach and using timber from more than 2,000 illegally cleared mangrove trees to build hotel fences. The company, which reported him to the police, has denied the allegations.

“His criticism of alleged mangrove deforestation has instead been met with charges under the Electronic Information and Transactions Law,” said the East Nusa Tenggara chapter of Walhi, Indonesia’s largest environmental NGO. “Today Mus Frans is criminalized — tomorrow it could be anyone. Democracy is wounded if criticism is punished with prison. The state is obliged to stand with the people, not side with environmental destroyers.”

Banner image: Farmers work a potato farm near a geothermal plant on the Dieng Plateau, on the Indonesian island of Java. Photo by Raditya Mahendra Yasa/Flickr.

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