Sumatra

Gender justice on the plantations?

DTE 99-100, October 2014

An interview with Helena Trie, Communication Staff, Serikat Petani Kelapa Sawit (SPKS) the Oil Palm Smallholders Union.[1]

Policies and practice: favouring big business over communities

DTE 93-94, December 2012

In this article we highlight some of the influences at work inside Indonesia which are contributing to the ongoing transfer of land from communities to corporations. These influences include national and local government policies, laws, governance and practices, whose provisions for supporting indigenous peoples and communities’ rights and livelihoods have been deprioritised in favour of large-scale, commercial ‘development’ projects. The result is a growing disparity between rich and poor, worsening imbalance in the control over agrarian resources and more and more conflicts between communities, private sector and the state.

Working in an oil palm plantation - a snapshot of one woman's life

Down to Earth No.78, August 2008

Mardiana, better known as Etek, works for PT Agro Masang Perkasa in Agam district, West Sumatra. She has been working there since 1994 and will continue to do so as there are no other jobs she could do to sustain herself and her family. This brief report is based on an interview with Etek during June 2008 in Bogor.

"Before, whenever anything got in my eye, I rubbed it. This is what it's like now - like the eye of a salted fish," she says.

The impacts of oil palm plantations on women

Down to Earth No. 74, August 2007

The social and environmental impacts of large-scale oil palm plantations in Indonesia have been exposed by national and international civil society organisations. But women's experiences have received far less attention.

The impact on women

Down to Earth No 64 March 2005

Far more women, children and the elderly died in the quake-tsunami than teenagers and men. In Lambada village, there were only 105 survivors from a population of over 2,100; of these only 5 were women. This is not atypical. The overall gender balance in Aceh may have been changed by 20% or more.

The reasons why so many women died may never be known. Many stayed to save their children when the first tsunami struck. Others could not run fast enough to higher ground while carrying babies and toddlers.

Community-centred reconstruction needed

Down to Earth No 64 March 2005

For many tsunami survivors whose homes and livelihoods were totally swept away in the early hours of December 26th, rebuilding their lives means starting from scratch. What lies ahead for these shattered communities and who will decide what happens next?

Acehnese civil society organisations are highlighting the overriding need for participation by the affected communities in the reconstruction and recovery processes and for transparency and accountability in the use of funds.

The shrimp industry

Down to Earth No 51 November 2001

Despite a poor social and environmental record across the globe, commercial aquaculture - intensive fish-farming - is still regarded as having a bright future in Indonesia. According to former marine affairs minister Sarwono, of Indonesia's total fish production, 82% is from capture fisheries. "We need to push for aquaculture to boost fish production" he told a March workshop.

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