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Ladia Galaska road network: construction continues, controversy rages

Down to Earth No 62  August 2004

NGOs have stepped up their campaign to halt construction of the Ladia Galaska road project which cuts through the Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh - one of world's richest areas of tropical rainforest.

Floods hit four districts in Aceh on May 7-8, in the western area downstream of the Ladia Galaska road project, leaving one person dead, sweeping away four houses and forcing thousands to leave their flooded homes.

Indonesian CSOs slam privatisation of conservation

Down to Earth No 62  August 2004

The following is part of a statement by the Indonesian Forum for Environment (WALHI), the Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) and Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN) to the seventh meeting of parties to the Biodiversity Convention (COP 7), Kuala Lumpur, February 2004.

Conservation is an integral part of resource management. In biodiversity, it plays a crucial role, as our life and livelihoods depend on how we conserve nature.

When the elections are over...

Down to Earth No 62  August 2004

This year, political life in Indonesia has been dominated by elections for national and regional parliaments, regional representatives council and, finally, for a new president. Choosing the president will take several more months as there has been no clear winner in July's first round. But once the election dust settles, what will be the difference for the vast majority of Indonesians?

In brief... DTE 62 - August 2004

Down to Earth No 62   August 2004

Community holds Newmont to account
Villagers from Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi have lodged complaints with the police over the devastating health impacts of Newmont Minahasa Raya's gold mine. At least 30 people are believed to have died as a result of the heavy metal pollution caused by the mine, which dumps tailings on the sea-bed.

Aceh and West Papua

Down to Earth No 61  May 2004


Aceh Papua Solidarity (SAP), a group which includes political activists from the democratic movement, said it rejected the results of the elections in Aceh and Papua because they were legally flawed and did not conform to the principles of democracy.

The Indonesia human rights campaign, Tapol, predicted that military operations in Aceh and West Papua would make a free and fair outcome o

Flores eviction protest ends in bloodshed

Down to Earth No 61  May 2004


Six people are reported dead after police fired on protesters at Ruteng, East Nusa Tenggara province. This is the tragic outcome of the local authorities' hard-line approach to clearing coffee growers from land designated as state-owned forest.

Indigenous activist arrested

Down to Earth No 61  May 2004

Bestari Raden, a well-known environmentalist and indigenous activist, was arrested by the military in Aceh in March, while on a government mission to review the controversial Ladia Galaska road scheme.

Military personnel from the 0108 Southeast Aceh District Command (Kodim) arrested Bestari Raden on March 23rd. After being held at the military command in Kutacane, where he was interrogated by the command's intelligence chief, Bestari was handed over to the Southeast Aceh police at Tapak Tuan.