JAKARTA, 24 of July 2017 -- Stakeholders were gathered in Jakarta on Monday (24/7) to discuss challenges and obstacles of palm oil industry in Merauke and Boven Digoel districts, Papua province. The meeting was attended by Regent of Merauke, Frederikus Gebze, S.E., M.Si., Regent of Boven Digoel, Benediktus Tambonop, S.STP., H. Hamdhani, S.I.P., M.Sos., (Member of Commission IV of the House of Representatives from Nasdem fraction), Dr. Nyoto Santoso, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., (Director of Bioref of Bogor Agricultural University), and several community representatives of communal right's owners in Merauke and Boven Digoel.
The foreign NGOs (Mighty Earth from the US and AidEnvironment from the Netherland) who often campaign negatively about the national palm oil industry were not present despite the fact that they have received the invitation and been allegedly being in Jakarta. Based on the search results, Mighty Earth is a campaign arm or campaign part of Waxman Strategies, a lobbying company from the US.
There were four points agreed at the meeting, that is: (1) the local government and the communities of Merauke and Boven Digoel are the main stakeholders in the development of palm oil plantations in both areas; (2) investors are required to participate actively in the regional development; (3) smallholdings in both areas should be realized immediately in accordance to the applicable law and as part of the regional development; and (4) this stakeholder forum is a forum to discuss the issues of palm oil development in both areas.
The meeting was initiated to respond the public complaints about the negative campaigns waged by foreign NGOs (Mighty Earth and AidEnvironment) which made palm oil companies in Merauke and Boven Digoel deferred the opening of the smallholdings for the communities.
Related to the first point, the stakeholders who were present at the meeting deplored the negative campaign waged by foreign NGOs such as Mighty Earth and AidEnvironment. The attended community representatives were communal right's owners who opposed the interference of NGOs in their communal land affairs.
As they explained, the communal right's owners have sent a letter to Mighty Earth and AidEnvironment in mid-July.
In the letter, they firmly asked those two NGOs to stop interfering in their communal land affairs as the one who will feel the impact is the communities themselves.
They also asked the NGOs to give an opportunity to the company to clear a land for smallholdings in an effort to improve the economy of the community.
"Please do not hinder our development using various environmental reasons," said Demianus Blamen, Hamlet Chief of Nakias, in his letter of July 10th, 2017.
In another point, the local government and the communities really appreciate the presence of investors who develop palm oil plantations. There have been schools, hospital, places of worship, and also infrastructure developed since they come.
As stated by the Regent of Merauke, there is only 6% of Forest for Other Land Uses (APL) area in Papua, and all palm oil plantations are built within the area. However, most of them have not been realized. The current situation of Papua still needs to be developed and the local government keeps conserving the area other than the APL area.
The total area of Forest for Other Land Uses (APL) in Papua is only 6%. All palm oil plantations in Papua are within APL area, not in forest or deforested area. Currently, not all of APL areas have been realized. However, the local government of Papua keeps committing to conserve the forest area outside the APL area.
Representatives of the community leaders of Merauke have also voiced their opinion. Father Felix Amias MSC, a member of Missionariorum Sacratissimi Cordis (MSC), told about his difficult childhood to all participants of the meeting. However, since the establishment of palm oil plantation in Merauke and Boven Digoel, everything has been better. "Now, the children no longer have to row for two nights just to find junior high school."
Regarding the smallholdings, the community reported that the realization was hampered due to various demands and pressure from foreign NGOs, such as Mighty Earth and AidEnvironment, through environmental issues.
"We have been waiting for the company to open a plantation for the communal right's owners. However, they have not cleared the forest for us to plant palm oil crops," said Abraham Yolmen, the Head of the Multipurpose Business Cooperative (KSU) Merauke.
"We initially thought that they did it in purpose to buy some time," he said. However, they finally knew the reason in the last weeks. Apparently, the company got pressure from NGOs, such as Mighty Earth from the US and AidEnvironment from the Netherlands.
As the representative of communal right's owners in Merauke, Simon Walinaulik insisted that they did not want the NGOs to intervene and prohibit the company as the land that will be cleared is belong to the community which has been included in the concession by the Government's permission.
Therefore, the stakeholders agreed that the smallholdings should immediately be realized.
Lastly, it was also agreed that the stakeholder forum is open to all parties, including NGOs who want to give suggestion. If there is any party who wants to express their opinion, it should be done through this kind of forum in their area so as not to be used by irresponsible parties.
Stakeholder Forum of Palm Oil Industry Development in the District of Merauke and Boven Digoel,Papua
- Frederikus Gebze, Regent of Merauke
- Benediktus Tambonop, Regent of Boven Digoel
- Pastor Felix Amias, Community Leader in Merauke and Boven Digoel
- Richard Nosai Koula, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Florentunus Mahuze, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Matheus Mahuze, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Emanuel Walinaulik, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Simon Walinaulik, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Abraham Yolmen, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Hendrikus Mahuze, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Petrus Boryemu, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Merauke
- Theodorus Erro, Representative of Communal Right's Owners in Boven Digoel
