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Laws & regulations

Indigenous groups hail declaration breakthrough


Down to Earth No.

Communities challenge palm oil industry promises of sustainability

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

After a year of negotiations and pressure from Indonesian and international civil society groups, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) accepted the Principles & Criteria drafted by its working group at its meeting in Singapore on 22 - 23 November 2005.

Call for new mining law to be delayed

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

Indonesian civil society organisations are calling on parliament to delay deliberations on the Mineral and Coal Mining Bill and to focus instead on passing a new umbrella law on natural resource management.

The mining bill, is designed to replace the 1967 mining law, which was passed during the early years of former President Suharto's rule and opened the door to foreign investors in the sector.

Legal or sustainable?

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

As part of the international campaign to crack down on illegal logging, stop forest destruction and eliminate timber smuggling, the Indonesian government has been pressed to agree a definition of what is and isn't 'legal' in Indonesia's forests.

Newmont called to account

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

August 5th saw the opening of the Indonesian government's first ever pollution case against a major mining company.

In Brief... DTE 67 - November 2005

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

Police open fire on farmers in Lombok

Indonesian human rights NGO Elsam has protested against the police shooting of farmers attending a national meeting in Lombok. Twenty seven people suffered gunshot injuries on September 18th when police dispersed a farmers' union general assembly organised by the Nusa Tenggara Barat union and the Federation of Indonesian Farmers Unions (FSPI). Eight people were detained at the meeting, which was attended by farmers' representatives from 26 countries.

The RSPO - towards "sustainable palm oil"?

Down to Earth No 66  August 2005

Interview with Marcus Colchester

Marcus Colchester is Director of the international NGO, Forest Peoples Programme, and a member of DTE's management committee. He has participated with Indonesian NGO, Sawit Watch, in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as a member of its Criteria Working Group.