In Batang Regency, on the north coast of Central Java, one of Indonesia’s largest coal companies have made themselves at home… right in the middle of land owned by local farmers. How are they able to get away with this?

Batang residents hold a protest in their rice farm that is under threat of development by a massive coal-fired power plant project.

“Batang united! Reject the coal power plant!”

My body shivers from head to toe hearing the furious roar of the villagers. For five days in April the people of Batang have been working together, using “art as protest” and erecting large banners, signs painted with death skulls, and hand-drawn portraits of farmers with a clear message about the injustice they have had to endure.

“Coal plants take away land and livelihood!” says one large, yellow sign.

Art as protest. The banner in the background reads “Coal plants take away land and livelihood!” The farmers’ land has been fenced off since March 2016.

Back in March 2016, the Batang farmers suddenly discovered that their farming land, which has been their source of income for generations, was bordered off by a five-kilometre wide aluminium fence.

For the past five years, a mega power plant project has been slowly developing in Batang, touted to be the largest in Southeast Asia. The company behind the project, Bhimasena Power Indonesia (BPI) - a consortium group consisting of two Japanese companies, J-Power and Itochu; and Indonesian coal mining company Adaro – has come under much controversy due to continual delays and disagreements over land compensation with local residents. Land acquisition is required to continue with the project and dozens of landowners are still refusing to sell. But this has not stopped BPI.

“Whether you’re from the police or from the army, open the fence!” screams one farmer as she looks across to security guards standing by.

“Do I have to fly to get to my own farm?” shouts another as she waves around her sickle.