'AIIB Responds to UN Expert's Concern on Mandalika Tourism Project', 07 April 2021

Vice President and Chief Administration Officer of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Luky Eko Wuryanto responded to the concerns expressed by the United Nations expert on human rights regarding Indonesia’s mega project in Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The AIIB is partly funding the Mandalika project. Wuryanto claimed that the multilateral financier had completed its due diligence in responding to the expert’s criticism. They immediately recruited an independent consultant to validate the allegations... His actions come as a follow-up to reports that suspect the US$3 billion mega-tourism project at the island of Lombok had involved illegal practices, such as alleged aggressive land acquisition, forceful evictions of the indegenous Sasak Community, and intimidations against human rights activists. The AIIB chief said that the consultants also interviewed ITDC or Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation, local administration, contractor, and village heads regarding the UN allegations... UN human rights experts today urged the Indonesian Government to respect human rights and the rule of law amid reports that a US$3 billion tourism project on Lombok island has involved aggressive land grabs, forced evictions of  Sasak indigenous peoples, and intimidation and threats against human rights defenders...