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DTE's quarterly newsletter provides information on ecological justice in Indonesia.

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DTE publications

Down to Earth No. 71, November 2006


As Indonesia's first 'stand alone' wood chip mill neared completion on Pulau Laut, campaigners from Down to Earth and WALHI South Kalimantan went to Europe to lobby companies who are supporting this unsustainable venture.

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.

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

The government is pressing ahead with plans to create a huge plantation zone along the Indonesia-Malaysia border, despite concerns raised by Indonesian and international NGOs and forest researchers and donors.

Indonesian NGO Greenomics revealed in February that East Kalimantan has allocated 215,000ha in three districts to be cleared as part of the plantation. The area includes 17,000ha of government-funded community plantations.

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

Pak Cion Alexander is a peasant farmer who also has a law degree and is a community activist in the organisation Gerakan Rakyat Pemberdayaan Kampung (GRPK). He comes from Sanggau, West Kalimantan and attended the third RSPO meeting in Singapore.

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

United Fiber System (UFS) is going ahead with a wood chip mill and paper pulp plant in South Kalimantan as well as running the Kiani Kertas plant in East Kalimantan - all in the face of international opposition.

UFS received a boost to its plans to become one of the world's major paper pulp producers when the Indonesian Supreme Court ruled in its favour in a dispute between the company and the Indonesian government in early October 2005.

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

Construction work has started at a wood chip mill on Laut Island, South Kalimantan. It is part of a planned development of the pulp and paper industry in the province which threatens to destroy forests and impoverish local communities.

The new chip mill, which will have the capacity to produce 700,000 tonnes of wood chips, is being built by PT Mangium Anugrah Lestari (PT MAL) on Pulau Laut - a large island off the southeast coast of South Kalimantan province.

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

New measures to promote fastwood plantations

Forestry minister Kaban has issued five new measures aimed at reducing illegal logging and reviving the timber industry. These support his policy announcement made in July about speeding up the establishment of fastwood plantations to supply the country's pulp and paper plants. Foreign companies will now be allowed to invest in timber plantations.