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Theme

: Plantations
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Region

: Sumatra
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Sumatra

 

Oil palm in peatland, South Sumatra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview: Thoughts on the RSPO

Down to Earth No. 72 March 2007

Zulfahmi, former director of Riau NGO forest network Jikalahari, is a member of Sawit Watch and has attended several meetings of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), including the latest (RT4) in Singapore, last November.

Struggle against logging goes on in Mentawai

Down to Earth No 68   February 2006

Will legal action help save forests and livelihoods in the Mentawai Islands? The following is adapted from an Indonesian language report by WALHI West Sumatra and interviews with Yayasan Citra Mandiri, an NGO which focuses on Mentawai issues.

The Mentawai Islands, off Sumatra's western coast, are renowned for the unique culture of their indigenous communities and the rare species that have evolved in this isolated rainforest archipelago.

In memory of inspirational indigenous leader, Abah Nawi

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

Afnawi Noeh, popularly known as Abah Nawi, leader of the indigenous community organisation BPRPI, died in February 2006 aged 69. He and his family had been fighting for land rights recognition for peasant farmers in North Sumatra for over 50 years.

Abah was a leading member in Indonesia's indigenous movement, attending AMAN's inaugural conference in 1999 and becoming a Council member. BPRPI currently acts as AMAN's secretariat in North Sumatra.

Forest fires in Sumatra

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

"There is no such thing as a spontaneous forest fire in Indonesia", forestry minister Kaban pronounced, as smoke from forest fires in Sumatra once again caused serious air pollution in Malaysia and Singapore from July to September.

The minister stated publicly that the fires are due to competing claims over 'unproductive' forest areas. There are some 17 million ha of forest land in Indonesia which has been over-logged or zoned for conversion, according to officials.

Forests Update 2005

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.

Melayu farmers' long struggle for land rights

Down to Earth No 63  November 2004

The North Sumatran organisation of peasant farmers, BPRPI, is engaged in one of Indonesia's longest running land disputes.