Regent of Merauke, Federikus Gebze Asked Foreign and Local NGO to Stop Disturbing the Investor in Merauke

Apparently, the company is under extreme pressure from NGOs, such as  Mighty Earth and AidEnvironment. Therefore, they did not want the NGOs  to intervene and prohibit or pressure them and especially the company.  The plantations that will be opened belong to the community which have  been included in the concession by the Government's permission. 

"Once again, we ask NGOs to stop hindering us to open a plantation on our own land," said Simon Walinaulik. 

Both Abraham and Yolmen stated that the company is very serious and  committed to open a plantation for the owners of customary rights. It  was proven by the establishment of a cooperative for the customary  rights' owners called KSU Iska Bekai. It will directly manage the  soon-to-be opened smallholdings. Moreover, the company has sent a number  of customary rights' owners and cooperative management to conduct a  comparative study in Sumatra. It increases their knowledge about palm  oil management which can lead them to better welfare conditions. 

"There (Sumatera) they have many ranger cars. We want to be like  them. We want to have prosperous lives. Thus, NGOs should not hinder us  to change our lives to be better," he said. Abraham said that the  presence so far of the company has been very helpful to the villagers of  Nakias. Not only in term of economy, but also in education, health, and  other aspects. 

Before, says Abraham, before company came to invest in  their region, they had to struggle to earn money and food. To obtain  money they had to hunt crocodiles in rivers and swamps, and look for  yellow birds (Cendrawasih/ birds of paradise) by climbing trees. We had  very risky lives. We also have to go through the long process to make  sago. But with the arrival of the company, said Abraham, we do not have  struggle to do this anymore. People can work for the company to earn  money. 

"The company has brought a great change. We do not want to climb  trees to look for yellow birds or hunt crocodiles in rivers or swamps,  which have uncertain results, anymore. We were miserable before," he  said. 

In the area of education, continued Abraham, our children in the  region now have good education. The company has provided education  facilities from elementary to junior high schools, and planned to build a  Vocational School of Agriculture. The children shuttle to school by bus  at every gathering point every day. "Our children can get education  thanks to the company that has provided schools and buses," he said. 

In addition Abraham said, that the company also has provided a health  clinic. They have prepared 17 health workers from nurses to midwives.  The clinic provides basic services, such as emergency unit, delivery,  laboratory examination i.e HIV-AIDS, TB, and malaria examinations. It  also has rooms for patients that need to be hospitalized and rooms for  mothers who give birth. 

He explained that before the company came, they had to walk for 2-3  days to the health center in Okaba. "But now, thanks to the company who  has provided everything. The sick can immediately get help. In an  emergency we can also ask to use the company car to take us to the  clinic. It is really helpful," he said. Moreover, the company also  provides free medical service to the villages. "The health workers of  the company also go to the villages to serve," Abraham said. Meanwhile,  the health workers of the local government come twice in a month to  provide integrated health service and give immunization along with the  health workers of the company.