BALINEWSID.COM, DENPASAR – A long-running land dispute on Serangan Island has resurfaced after local resident Siti Sapurah, known as Ipung, revealed her 16-year struggle against PT Bali Turtle Island Development (BTID), the company managing the area that is now part of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Ipung, a native of Serangan, said she had fought for years to defend land she believes legally belongs to her family. She said major changes in her hometown have made it increasingly difficult for residents to access areas that were once part of their daily lives.

“That used to be where we lived. Now, even to enter, we need permission,” Ipung said during a recent meeting in Denpasar.

According to her, the dispute began in 2009 when she returned to Serangan to build a house on land for which she held a legal ownership certificate. However, she said the move was met with intimidation.

Ipung claimed her house was pelted with stones at night and that she was pressured to leave her birthplace.

“They told me I had no right to live in Serangan, even though I held the certificate,” she said.

She also faced a series of legal lawsuits. Despite lacking significant financial resources, Ipung said she continued to fight using her land ownership documents and her belief that justice would prevail.

The battle eventually ended in her favor after court victories up to the cassation level.

“I had no money, but I had the truth. And it turns out justice still exists,” she said.

Ipung believes her case represents only a small part of broader land issues in Serangan. She said a number of residents are still questioning the legality of land control in the area, including allegations involving state land and privately owned plots whose status remains unresolved.

Residents have also raised concerns over increasingly limited public access to beaches, the sea, and temples that have long served as social and spiritual centers for the local community.

“What we ask is simple — reopen the access,” she stressed.

She also mentioned hundreds of livestock belonging to residents that were allegedly still being held inside the area without clear information about their fate.

According to Ipung, the prolonged conflict has divided the Serangan community. Some residents support the company’s presence, while others have chosen to speak critically about agrarian issues in the area.

“Not everyone can speak up. But those who still have the courage are the ones moving now,” she said.

Ipung welcomed the move by a special committee of the Bali Provincial Legislative Council (DPRD Bali), which has begun reviewing issues in Serangan. However, she said the resolution process would be lengthy and should also examine alleged violations beyond the mangrove forest conservation area, including activities linked to BTID.

Now, after winning her personal land dispute, Ipung said she has chosen to continue the fight by helping other residents facing similar problems.

“My case is finished. Now it is the turn of other residents to be helped,” she said.

She hopes the land conflict in Serangan will not be allowed to drag on, warning that it could eventually erase the living space of the island’s indigenous community.

“If we stay silent, one day Serangan may no longer have its native residents,” Ipung said