Jakarta, 4 Juni 2020--The Coalition for the National Movement to Save Natural Resources (GN-PSDA) assesses that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) has no empathy for victims of criminalization by the Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) group against indigenous peoples in Riau and Jambi and Sumatran tigers who die in the middle of the concession.

Instead of siding with indigenous peoples who are criminalized or dead animals, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry will hold an activity that is one of the sponsors of APP. This activity will be held on 5 June with the theme "Indonesia Climate Change & Environment" via a webinar. Apart from being a sponsor of APP, he was also appointed as a speaker with the theme "Building a New Paradigm and Public Awareness of Local Wisdom." So what kind of paradigm will APP offer?

Let's look back. It goes without saying, the last two years this company under the APP banner has been involved in cases with indigenous peoples and wildlife. First M. Amri's death in the PT Riau Indo Agropalma concession on May 23, 2019. Still at the same company location and in the same year, October 24, 2019, Wahyudi was killed by a tiger. This case occurred due to forest conversion and damage to tiger ranges due to the company's activities.

Second, on March 4, 2020. PT Wira Karya Sakti (WKS), APP's line of business in the Industrial Plantation Forest sector, located in Jambi. This company poisoned the crops of the people of Lubuk Madrasah Village using a weed killer herbicide. Two hectares of crops such as rubber, oil palm and vegetables were damaged and could not be used. This incident has happened many times. Even through company security in 2015, PT WKS killed the farmer, Indra Pelani.

Third, on May 18, 2020. Bengkalis District Court Panel of Judges sentenced Bongku, 58 years old, the indigenous people of Sakai, Bengkalis to one year in prison, a fine of IDR 200 million. Bongku was convicted on charges of cutting down half a hectare of acacia-eucalyptus inside the PT Arara Abadi concession, an APP subsidiary. Bongku will plant the area with sweet potato digalo. In fact, if it is examined more deeply, the area is the territory of the Sakai customary community, even including the PT Arara Abadi concession.

Meanwhile, research results from a coalition of NGOs in Indonesia and the Environmental Paper Network (EPN) in 2019 stated that 107 villages / communities in the five provinces of Sumatra and Kalimantan are still in conflict with APP, while 544 other villages have the potential for conflict with an area of ​​2.5 million hectares. Meanwhile, APRIL is still in conflict with 101 villages / communities and there are 529 villages affected by their company's operations covering an area of ​​more than one million hectares in five provinces.

Looking at the three cases and the research results, perhaps the new paradigm that KLHK hopes to convey by APP is the paradigm of criminalizing or threatening indigenous peoples. Or awareness of new local wisdom to destroy animal habitats, so that people or anyone else comes into conflict with animals.

Other sponsors are in stark contrast to their headlines, showing that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry does not have a clear position on climate change. The world is currently pushing for the termination of coal power plants because one of the big contributors of GHG, ironically the activities are supported by a coal mining company (South Sumatra) and also the owner of the PLTU, PT Bukit Asam (PLTU MT Banjarsari, PLTU Bukit Asam, PLTU Sumsel-8).

The government, in this case the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, as a public servant to ensure the fulfillment of community rights to a good environment, should study with the indigenous people who live in the village, if you want to know local wisdom. Instead of learning from companies that do the opposite, namely destroying local wisdom. In fact, if the Ministry of Environment and Forestry continues these activities, it will prove that the government has no empathy for the people who are being criminalized and have their land confiscated in the midst of Covid-19.

On this basis, the GN-PSDA Coalition, a coalition of civil society organizations concerned with fulfilling the rights of indigenous peoples and saving the environment, asked the Minister of Environment and Forestry to:

Refuse assistance or sponsorship from APP or companies that violate the constitutional principles of socio-ecological justice for indigenous, local, village and animal communities in all activities of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry;

Stop the collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and Forestry with APP and other companies that violate the principles of the constitution for socio-ecological justice for indigenous, local, village and animal communities in the “Indonesia Climate Change & Environment” activity via a webinar to be held on 5 June 2020:

1. End efforts to criminalize indigenous peoples (environmental defender) by companies under APP and other business groups;
2. Thoroughly investigate the case of applying pesticides to indigenous peoples' lands in a transparent and accountable manner by the APP group;
3. Thoroughly investigate the case of applying pesticides to indigenous peoples' lands in a transparent and accountable manner by the APP group;
4. Investigating cases of animal deaths in concessions of companies affiliated with APP and other similar companies;
5. Revoke permits and corporate concessions that destroy forests and natural resources that violate the principles of the constitution for socio-ecological justice for indigenous, local, rural and animal communities.

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Contact person:
Made Ali: 081275311009
Syahrul Fitra: 08116611340