On 12 July 2024, the Minister of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Siti Nurbaya, issued Decision of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number 835 Year 2024 regarding Approval of the Use of Forest Areas for Food Security Facilities and Infrastructure Development Activities in the Context of Defense and Security on Behalf of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Indonesia Totaling 13,540 hectares in Protected Forest Areas, Permanent Production Forest Areas and Convertible Production Forest Areas in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, hereinafter referred to as SK KLHK 835.
The Food Security Facilities and Infrastructure Development Project is part of a National Strategic Project (PSN), namely the Merauke Food and Energy Development Area to create 1 (one) million hectares of rice fields. The process of developing one million hectares of land begins with the construction of docks and farming roads to bring in and distribute agricultural equipment and logistics, as stated by the Commander of the Food Security Task Force at TNI Headquarters, Major General TNI Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani S.Sos., M.Han., in the 9th Edition of RRI Merauke Podcast Program, on 26 August 2024.
“On the left and right of the road there are large ditches, namely primary ditches to help irrigate the rice fields on both sides of the road,” said Major General TNI Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani S.Sos.
Yayasan Pusaka Bentala Rakyat (PUSAKA) has carried out an overlapping analysis of the maps attached to SK KLHK 835, forest area maps, administrative maps and maps of significant places for the indigenous peoples in Merauke (WWF, 2006), as well as residents’ reports, the results show that the construction location concerned is within a customary forest area and there are important places with high conservation value, such as sacred places and ancestral paths, food hamlets, hunting grounds and traditional conservation areas, which are located in Ilwayab, Ngguti, Kaptel and Muting Districts, Merauke Regency.
Representatives of the land owner clans in Ilwayab District, the Gebze Moyuend and Gebze Dinaulik clans, informed that their land, hamlets and customary forests, which constitute their source of livelihood, had been cleared by the company and guarded by armed TNI members, which was carried out without any deliberation and consensus with the local indigenous people.
“This project is violating the right to life, the rights of indigenous peoples and is damaging the environment, as contained in the constitution and the laws and regulations, as well as the principle of FPIC (Free Prior Informed Consent). Whereas before the project begins, the people are first given and received information about the development project that will take place in their customary area, and are given the freedom to organize consultations to make a decision whether to accept or reject the project. This is not being implemented by the government, the project developer and the company,” said Franky Samperante, Director of PUSAKA.
Under Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number 7 Year 2021 regarding Forestry Planning, Changes in the Designation and Function of Forest Areas and Use of Forest Areas, Article 379 states that the requirements for an Application for Approval to the Use of Forest Areas shall be in the form of (a) administrative requirements, in the form of a Statement of Commitment, Integrity Pact, Profile of the Business Entity or Legal Entity; and (b) technical requirements. The said Commitment Requirements include: completing the boundaries arrangement of the area in the Forest Area Use Approval, and submitting environmental documents and Environmental Approval for businesses and/or activities which are required to have AMDAL or UKLUPL (see Article 380 letter f, Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. 7 Year 2021).
“We suspect that the Merauke PSN project to create one million hectares of new rice fields and to construct food security facilities and infrastructure does not yet have environmental documents and environmental approval. The people who are directly affected and environmental organizations were not engaged from the onset in discussing the terms of reference and AMDAL assessment, and have not received information on environmental documents,” Franky Samperante explained.
Meaningful participation by the communities is highly necessary and is in line with the principles of a democratic state, therefore, the idea of forming and overseeing the implementation of laws and regulations as well as the state decisions regarding development programs, does not always have to be determined and arise from the power holders alone, but rather, it also involves the people. Involvement of the community and environmental organizations under Articles 27 and 28 of Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 22 Year 2021 regarding Implementation of Environmental Protection and Management.
The parties in charge of the one million hectare new rice field project, namely the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Jhonlin Group company, must respect and protect the rights of indigenous peoples as well as environmental sustainability. Disregarding the rights of indigenous peoples and the environment will lead to and exacerbate social, economic and ecological problems.
SK KLHK 835 shows that the construction location concerned is indicated to be within the PIPPIB area (Indicative Map of Cessation of Granting Business Licensing) in Natural Forest and Peat Land covering an area of 858 hectares. The Merauke PSN project to create one million hectares of new rice fields will damage and eliminate natural forest areas and peatlands on a large scale, thus potentially exacerbate the environmental crisis. This is not in line with the government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“We urge the President and the Ministries related to the Merauke PSN Project for the creation of new rice fields, to immediately evaluate and stop the project of creating one million hectares of new rice fields in Merauke and the supporting development activities. Effective steps, consultations and deliberations with the local indigenous people need to be undertaken for inclusive, just and peaceful food and energy development, prioritizing the interests and sustainability of the local indigenous people as well as sustainability of the environment, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, no one is left behind,” Franky Samperante urged.
Jakarta, 13 September 2024
Contact Person:
Franky Samperante, Mobile No. 0811 1256 019
Photo of Wanam:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TJJIywptELidWpgggUb4ZvoZq7NwfJkp/view?usp=sharing
Photo of Land Clearing in Wanam, Photo Credit. TEMPO
