3) Illegal mining is the greatest
threat to the forests in Papua
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Posted at 19:41 on 19 September, 2013 UTC
A newspaper in Papua has published a letter from the Papuan Freedom Movement apologising to the Indonesian Red Crescent for shooting 3 of the organisation’s volunteers in July this year.
The letter in Bintang Papua is signed by two commanders of the movement’s military wing, the OPM.
They say shots were fired at an ambulance at a time when the Indonesian army was carrying out operations in Puncak Jaya.
One man died in the shooting and two others were hurt.
The commanders say the person who did the shooting thought the vehicle belonged to the Indonesian military.
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Posted at 05:02 on 19 September, 2013 UTC
An investigation by the internal supervision agency within Indonesia’s police force has found that a Papua police officer had paid bribes to 33 police officials, including the Papua provincial chief.
The Jakarta Post reports that Labora Sitorus is alleged to have paid the bribes, totalling around 1 million US dollars, to protect his illegal logging and fuel-smuggling businesses.
The chairperson of Indonesian Police Watch, Neta Pane, said that Labora had wired and personally handed the money to officials within the Papua and the national police between January 2012 and March 2013.
Neta says the officer also bribed a number of police officials, including the Papua police chief, who was paid on at least five occasions.
However the IPW chair has refused to say whether the Papua Police chief in question was Tito Karnavian, whose tenure started in September 2012, or his predecessor Bigman Lumban Tobing.
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3) Illegal mining is the greatest threat to the forests in Papua
Bintang Papua, 17 September 2013The survival of the forests in Papua is threatened by illegal mining which is being undertaken by some local communities. This is the case in Nabire, Paniai, Keerom and several other regions. This issue was raised in a discussion organised by the USAID in Indonesia and coordinated by the Deputy Director for Environmental Affairs, Aurelia Micko. Several environmental NGOs were also present. The event was funded by IFACHS and IFF. Also present was the Head of the Forestry Service and Conservation for the Province of Papua, along with personnel from other departments.
During the discussion, it was stated that illegal mining was the greatest threat to the forests because the forests in Papua have be nurtured by minerals under the soil.
On numerous occasions, the government of the province of Papua and the regional administrations have drawn attention to this problem but their warnings have been ignored. There needs to be some serious thinking about how to find a solution to the problem and how to persuade people of the need to maintain the continued existence of the trees. People should understand that forests are the lungs of people everywhere on earth as well as meeting the economic needs of the local population.
The USAID is keen to find a solution to this problem so as to ensure the continued survival of the forests long into the future. Furthermore, this is all about the role of the forests in improving the welfare of the community as well as promoting tourism and other sources of income for local people.
The land is controlled by local people on the basis of customary law which means that it is necessary to work out what regulations are needed to safeguard this situation.
The Deputy Director of Environmental Affairs said that during the course of the discussion, people realised that many issues were involved in securing the survival of the forests and it was agreed that the main problem threatening the forests was the spread of illegal mining.
The USAID was considering what programmes it needed to implement in Papua, and what were the priorities regarding the flora and fauna such as the programme which is being implemented in the Cyclops Mountains by the IFF. On a broader scale, the USAID was working on the issue of providing for the necessary regulations to ensure the survival of the forests, taking into account social and economic aspects as well as the environmental aspects of the problem.
The representative of USAID said: 'We are working to preserve the space and protect the environment . We are working in several districts, such as Jayapura, Sarmi, Mamberamo, Asmat and Mimika..'
'With regard to the traditional rights of the local people to the land, we are looking to the future to see what role the government is playing
with regard to the forests.'
He referred to the recent appointment of a new governor of the province of Papua and how things will develop under his leadership with regard to these problems. He said that the conclusions of the present discussion would be taken into account in determining the strategy of USAID in its future work in Papua.
The Head of the Forestry Service and Conservation in Papua, Yan Yap L. Ormusseray SH said that he was very pleased indeed with the presence of USAID in Papua because they are making a huge contribution towards saving the forests. He said that was fully in accord with the vision of the Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe for the preservation of the forests, for preventing their destruction in order to improve the welfare of the people.'We hope that the USAID will spread its programme to other parts of Papua, in the south and in the highlands where it is very necessary indeed because there is such a great threat to the survival of the forests.
He said that one of the ways to save the forests was by setting up KPHs (?) at the district level and in the cities, in order to produce data with regard to the preservation of the forests, which would include giving guidance to local communities.regarding the forests, as well as being able to use forestry products to promote the welfare of the population. This is also in accord with providing the necessary space for the people to take care of the forests in a way that ensures their survival.
He said that when the people are the ones who are looking after the forests, they can sell merbau (ironwood?) for Rp 3 million per cubic whereas if they are controlled by companies, all the local people get is compensation amounting to only Rp50,000 per cubic.
He said that this was very much in line with the vision of the Governor and Deputy Governor of Papua who aim to preserve the forests and ensure that the local people can enjoy economic benefits from the forests without destroying them.
Translated by TAPOL
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