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.