Environmentalists are calling for a halt to land grabbing in Papua where five million hectares have been targeted by plantation companies.
Until now palm oil cultivation in Indonesia has largely been confined to the Indonesian forests of Sumatra and Kalimantan.
However, a report by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Indonesian-based NGO Telapak said that Papua was being targeted by powerful companies seeking to ‘cash in on projected demand for biofuels’, principally from crops like palm oil.
Chaotic management
The Indonesian government has been promoting the plantation boom as a means of bringing development to Papua but the report said companies had been taking advantage of the ‘chaotic’ management of the region.
‘Unclear institutional arrangements between different levels and agencies of government, coupled with a chronic lack of transparency, create grey areas which the plantation companies are able to exploit,’ said the report.
It said in some areas firms had begun operations before receiving the necessary permits.
Coercion
Field investigations carried out by EIA and Telepak documented the widespread coercion of local communities by companies seeking control of forested land.
In one case, the four year-old son of a landowner was forced to sign a contract that gave a plantation company control of his family’s land for decades. In another, a local community was promised a school and improved healthcare in return for control of land.
‘The government claims bio-fuels will not mean deforestation,’ said Jago Wadley, Senior Forest Campaigner at EIA, ‘yet EIA/Telapak investigations have found massive deforestation in Papua is being driven by national and international demand for biofuels in the name of climate change. With Indonesia already the world’s third largest carbon emitter due to its rapid forest loss, this is policy incoherence of the highest order.’
Useful links
‘Up for Grabs: Deforestation and Exploitation in Papua's Plantations Boom’
| READ MORE... | |
 |
NEWS Major retailers ranked on sustainable palm oil Tesco and Waitrose lagging behind on sustainable sourcing of world's most traded edible oil, found in wide range of everyday products from cakes and cosmetics |
 |
NEWS Biofuels rather than electric cars to meet renewables target Industry research says biofuels, not electric cars or biogas likely to make up majority of renewable transport targets but admits some will need to be imported |
|
NEWS World Bank breaks rules in lending to palm oil companies Campaign groups call for a suspension on lending to palm oil plantation developers after critical internal audit |
 |
GREEN LIVING Q & A: Daniel Beltrá, environmental photographer The award winning environmental photographer on witnessing rainforests around the world, working for Greenpeace and why photos can help save the world |
