Land and food security

Down to Earth No 62  August 2004

NGOs in Indonesia have worked hard to convince their government that it should do more to protect farmers and consumers from the risks of genetically modified crops. Now their efforts have borne fruit.

Indonesia's parliament began the process to ratify the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in July 2004 - a move that should ensure greater protection against the potential negative impacts of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Down to Earth No 61  May 2004

Long before the results of Indonesia's April 5th elections were announced, the outcome for environmental policy-making was already clear.

One month before Indonesia's April parliamentary elections, the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) issued the results of a survey of political parties' platforms on the environment and sustainable development.

Down to Earth No 60  February 2004

The death of a local man at the hands of police guards employed by an Australian mining company is a grim reminder that mining companies, backed by repressive government policies, put profits before people.

One man was shot and another almost beaten to death when members of Indonesia's special forces police (Brimob) broke up a protest by customary landowners at Nusa Halmahera Minerals' Toguraci gold mining area, on Halmahera Island, North Maluku, in early January.