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MIFEE

Indonesia's Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) project is clearing land and destroying the traditional livelihoods of indigenous Malind and other groups in southern Papua.

Launched in August 2010, MIFEE involves the conversion of a vast area of land, including forests and peatlands, into plantations growing food, energy and other crops. Workers are expected to be brought to Merauke to meet the demand for labour. [more]

Map of Merauke showing investors' concessions

UN CERD writes to Indonesia about MIFEE citing CSO concerns

In a letter dated 30 August 2013, Alexei Avtonomov, Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), has once again raised the issue of MIFEE with the Indonesian government.

Save the Malind and the Forests of Papua: Stop the MIFEE Megaproject

Indonesian and International Civil Society Statement on MIFEE policy

September 2013

The attached statement, translated by DTE, was distributed in Geneva at an International Consultation on Papua.

 

Starvation and poverty in Indonesia: civil society organisations appeal for suspension of MIFEE project in Papua pending redress for local communities

Forest Peoples Programme, Pusaka, Sawit Watch, Down to Earth

Press Information, September 2nd, 2013

A PDF version is attached at the end of this page

MIFEE: submission to CERD by 27 organisations

Request for Further Consideration of the Situation of the Indigenous Peoples of Merauke, Papua Province, Indonesia, under the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s Urgent Action
and Early Warning Procedures

Submitted July 25th 2013 by 27 Indonesian and international organisations including Forest Peoples Programme, Pusaka, Sawit Watch and Down to Earth.

 

MIFEE-affected communities want their land back

DTE 95, March 2013

A round-up of recent material about MIFEE, (first published in January 2013)

Indigenous communities living along the Bian and Maro Rivers in Merauke, southern Papua, have demanded the return of their customary lands taken for the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) mega-project. A set of demands issued after four days of community discussions in December also called for the revoking of location permits covering their customary land and for the companies involved to restore the damage done and pay compensation to affected communities.

Investment Principles for Farmland

DTE 91-92, May 2012

A group of eight institutional investors who are signatories to the UN Principals for Responsible Investment, representing US$1.3tn in assets have teamed up and developed a new 5-point charter, the Principles for Responsible Investment for Farmland. The move is aimed at addressing the increasing problem of 'land-grabbing' in Africa, Asia and Latin America. 

Big plans for Papua

DTE 91-92, May 2012

In our special edition newsletter on Papua published in November 2011, DTE drew attention to the long and sorry history of top-down resource exploitation in Papua. Now, a whole raft of new development plans are being pushed through, under the government’s nation-wide effort to speed up development (MP3EI), launched last year. An additional layer of plans specifically for Papua is being promoted by UP4B, a special unit to speed up development in Papua.