Newsletter articles

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

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DTE publications

Kalimantan groups call for sustainable development

Down to Earth No 67 November 2005

Four leading Indonesian NGOs organised a workshop and seminar in early October on the policy implications of natural resource exploitation in Kalimantan. The meeting was attended by representatives of various communities affected by large-scale plantation and mining projects plus 21 NGOs from Kalimantan and 2 from Sarawak.

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.

Oil palm expansion will bring more conflicts

Down to Earth No 66 August 2005

Indonesia has announced plans for the world's biggest oil palm plantation, as part of its bid to become the No.1 global producer of palm oil by the end of the decade.

Indigenous peoples oppose oil palm in West Kalimantan

Down to Earth No 66 August 2005

Indigenous peoples' organisations are raising awareness of the negative impacts of large-scale plantations among their communities in West Kalimantan - a move that challenges powerful government and business interests.

A March meeting of indigenous communities from West Kalimantan discussed the downside of the provincial government's plan for a massive expansion in oil palm plantations.

Gunung Niut - a community rejects oil palm plantations

Down to Earth No 66 August 2005

An unprecedented gathering of communities from seven Dayak groups has rejected exploitation which disadvantages indigenous communities, including large oil palm plantations and gold mining. The statement was issued in May, at a 3-day meeting of villagers from the remote Niut mountains, in Landak and Bengkayang districts of West Kalimantan.

The area is the customary land of the Semambang, Sebiak, Busuti, Sepadakng, Kemayo, Entoro and Soong indigenous Dayak groups.

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.

Pesticide use in oil palm plantations

Down to Earth No 66 August 2005

Pesticides, including herbicides, are commonly used in oil palm plantations, despite their adverse impacts on human beings and the environment.

In his keynote speech to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, October 2004, the then Indonesian agriculture minister, Bungaran Saragih, admitted the dangers of herbicides use in oil palm plantations(1).