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

Regent of Merauke,  Frederikus Gebze, S.E., M.Si., asked both foreign and local NGOs to stop  disturbing the investors in Merauke. According to the Regent, the local  government needs foreign investment as they do not have sufficient  funds to build all the required facilities. Thus, one of the sectors  that are suitable, in line with the potential in Merauke Regency, are  oil palm plantations. 

The presence of the palm oil plantations so far has been evaluated  and has given a significant contribution. It may provide greater  benefits after produced in form of CPO," he said.  

With the establishment of the cooperatives, he  explained, it remains for the company and the customary rights' owners  or the community need to carry it on by establishing and planting  smallholdings for the customary rights' owners. 

"One of the provisions of the legislation states that any investor  comes in a region is obliged to grant a concession of 20% of their total  area for smallholdings. It will be managed by the local community  either by the owner of customary rights, clan of hamlet, and so forth,"  said Regent Frederikus Gebze. 

According to The Regent, if the Cooperative is established we only  have to carry on from there after the cooperatives have been  established. However, the company has not done it so far.  

What is happening now,says Regent Frederikus Gebze, is that this  problem is being used by the NGO to wage a black campaign against Oil  Palm. Therefore, he hopes that the media will help any investors that  come to Merauke by conveying the real situation. That is not as the  black campaign portrays. 

"I hope the media can help investors coming in Merauke, " that is the  hope he said. Frederikus Gebze evaluates that the investors (of palm  oil plantations) coming in to Merauke, besides not only creating jobs,  but will also contribute to the community welfare. The result is clear. 

''It is not willy-nilly,'' he said. 

On Saturday (8/7), the residents of Mam, one of 5 villages in Ngguti  district, also firmly asked both foreign and local NGOs, such as Mighty  Earth from the US and AidEnvironment from the Netherlands, to stop  prohibiting the opening of palm oil plantation for the owner of  customary rights in Mam, Ngguti district, Merauke, Papua. 

The statement was made by Abraham Yolmen, the Chairman of the  Multipurpose Business Cooperative (KSU) Iska Bekai , Simon Walinaulik,  the Clan Chief of Yolmen, as well as Charles Yeimei and Yohanes  Samkakai, the representatives of the owners of customary rights in Mam,  Nakias village when meeting Radar Merauke in Mam, Nakias village, Ngguti  district, Merauke recently. 

"We have been waiting for the company to open the plantation for the  customary rights' owners. However, they have not cleared the forest for  us to plant palm oil crops," said Abraham. Simon said that they did not  know why the company has not opened the plantation before. "We thought  that they did it in purpose to buy some time,' he said. However, he  added, they finally knew the reason in the last 2 weeks. 

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.