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In brief... DTE 63 - November 2004

Down to Earth No 63  November 2004

Munir poisoned

In November it was revealed that leading Indonesian human rights defender, Munir, who died in September whilst on a flight from Indonesia to the Netherlands, was poisoned with arsenic. Indonesian and international colleagues have expressed shock at the news that Munir was murdered. Munir - an outspoken critic of the military, was co-founder of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial).

New plantation law - more land conflicts predicted

Down to Earth No 62  August 2004

Indonesia's new plantation law, aimed at providing legal certainty for investors, will do nothing to address conflicts between local communities and companies. It could well make things worse.

The Plantations Bill was endorsed by Indonesia's national parliament on 12th July, two years after it was tabled.

More deaths at Java gold mine

Down to Earth No 61  May 2004

Reports surrounding the deaths of 13 unauthorised miners at the Pongkor gold mine, West Java, indicate how poverty, corruption and inhumane security methods may be contributing to the high death toll.

The underground Pongkor gold mine in Nanggung district, near Bogor, is operated by state-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang. The thirteen men, plus one company employee, died of asphyxiation after their mining tunnels were filled with smoke.

Jatigede dam campaign gains momentum

Down to Earth No 61  May 2004

A campaign to halt a large dam project in West Java has put government officials in the spotlight over allegations of corruption.

It looks as if more than Rp 6 billion (around USD 700,000) has been embezzled from funds meant for compensation and public facilities for displaced villagers, according to research by the Bandung Legal Aid Institute (LBH Bandung).

Land poverty - no reforms in sight

Down to Earth No 60  February 2004


Indonesia's peasant farmers are being forced off their lands to make way for large-scale plantations, mining, forestry and industrial projects.

A letter to Perhutani...

Down to Earth No 60  February 2004


The following position statement by KAKKaPP was sent in January 2004 to the forestry authorities in Randublatung and the head of police in Blora, with copies to the head of Indonesia's Chief of Police, the chair of the National Commission for Human Rights, the chief executive of state forestry company Perhutani, all police chiefs and governors in Java and the district administrator and head of the district assembly for Blora.

It concerns human rights abuses by Perhutani against local people relate

In brief... DTE 60 - February 2004

 

Fatal chemical explosion, East Java

WALHI East Java has called for a halt to production and an investigation into PT Petrowidada following an explosion at the company's chemical plant on January 20 which resulted in two dead, 50 others severely injured, and dozens evacuated from the surrounding area. A joint investigation by WALHI East Java and other local groups has documented several past explosions.