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Indonesia

Indonesia has great natural wealth but many of its citizens live in extreme poverty. Democratic progress has been made since the resigation of former president Suharto in 1998, but many civil society organisations feel that far too little progress has been made towards sustainable management of the country's resources, and ensuring that Indonesia's diverse communities have a real say in decisions which affect their future.

UK and Indonesia sign landmark agreement on illegal logging

Down to Earth Press Release, 19 April 2002

...but forest communities' rights still violated

Britain and Indonesia are expected to announce today a Memorandum of Understanding to help protect tropical rainforest. Indonesia's forestry minister, Muhammad Prakosa, is in London to sign the agreement with UK Department for International Development. The MoU sets out how the two countries will co-operate on forest law enforcement and governance to combat illegal logging and the international trade in illegally logged timber and wood products.

STATEMENT BY UK NGOs ON THE FORESTRY MoU BETWEEN THE INDONESIAN AND UK GOVERNMENTS

We, as UK NGOs working on forest issues, share the concerns of Indonesian civil society organisations about the rapid rates of deforestation in Indonesia and the consequent loss of sustainable livelihoods.

Rio Tinto's Kelian mine blockaded

Down to Earth No 52, February 2002

East Kalimantan's Kelian gold mine, operated by Anglo-Australian mining multinational Rio Tinto, was forced to cut production in January when four former employees blockaded an access road to the site.

No sign of much-needed reform

Down to Earth No 52, February 2002


As M. Prakosa settles into his job as Indonesia's fourth forestry minister in four years, the direction of forest policy is becoming clearer.

Forestry minister Prakosa made it clear from the start that he did not intend any immediate radical changes. In the hand-over ceremony from Marzuki Usman, he pledged to build on the foundations laid down by his predecessors rather than introduce new programmes.

APP and debt-financed forest destruction

Down to Earth No 52, February 2002


The highly-indebted pulp and paper group, Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), commissioned an environmental audit in September to allay fears over rainforest destruction in Sumatra.

Megawati and her new ministers

Down to Earth No 51 November 2001


The new president, Megawati Soekarnoputri, and her ministers face many tough challenges in coming months.

As the newly elected Megawati Soekarnoputri - Indonesia's first woman president - chose her new cabinet, there was intense speculation as to what kind of government she would form. The resulting "Gotong Royong" 32-member cabinet was hailed by the mainstream media as a good combination of professionals and experienced politicians.

Regional autonomy: future uncertain

Down to Earth No 51 November 2001


Megawati Soekarnoputri's new government is citing the threat of national disintegration as the reason for scaling down decentralisation.

Newly installed president Megawati has identified regional autonomy - Indonesia's decentralisation process launched in January this year - as a key issue in building democracy in the country.