Nature Alert: Greenpeace, Sawit Watch Urge Government to Halt Plantation

Tuesday, 6 April 2010

Greenpeace, Sawit Watch Urge Government to Halt Plantation

Greenpeace, Sawit Watch Urge Government to Halt Plantation

Tuesday, 06 April, 2010

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: A coalition of environmental and rights groups have launched another call for the government to end the expansion of plantation areas in natural forests, and demand serious measures from the government to meet its 26 percent carbon cut.

At a press conference in Jakarta the group which includes Greenpeace, Indonesia Friends of the Earth, Sawit Watch, and Forest Watch Indonesia urged President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to order the Forestry Minister to revoke several policies on forest and peat land conversion for large industrial purposes.

The group said expansion of palm oil plantations has come to a critical point. We have 9 million hectares of palm plantationwith expansion of Rp200,000 hectares per year,” Jefri Gideon Saragih of the Sawit Watch told reporters. Of the expansion figure about 100,000 hectares are peatland which conversion process according to Sawit Watch responsible for the “largest carbon emission in Indonesia”.

The group suggested the government to raise production level by intensifying productivity of the current planttaaion areas. It said malysia who has only about 4.9 hectares was able to produce up to 18 million tonnes of palm oil while Indonesia only produced about 21.3 million a year.

Bustar Maitar, Greenpeace's Southeast Asia forest campaigner said the halt “is important to prove the commitment and determination of the government in achieving the 26 percent emission cut target by 2020.”

The group has also previously said The international will and funding to protect Indonesia’s forests is there. It is therefore contradictory for Indonesia to promote further plantations at the expense of forests

The Forestry Minister, Zulkifli Hasan of Yudhoyono's Democratic party responded to the call by saying "Tell the NGOs to see me.”

PINGIT ARIA
http://www.tempointeractive.com/hg/nasional/2010/04/06/brk,20100406-238386,uk.html

Hall of Shame for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Palm Oil Industry.

Nothing can prepare one for the sight of the systematic extermination of orangutans by the government of Indonesia.

Look at the photos and news articles on these pages in the context of a statement the President made to the media on 10th December 2007.

“In the last 35 years about 50,000 orangutans are estimated to have been lost as their habitats shrank. If this continues, this majestic creature will likely face extinction by 2050,” President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said at the launch of an orangutan conservation plan at the climate talks in Bali.

“The fate of the orangutan is a subject that goes to the heart of sustainable forests … To save the orangutan we have to save the forest.”

Statements like these are most welcome, but unless backed up by action, such words fall on deaf ears within the Ministry of Forestry....who are busy granting licences to cut down the very forests the President says they should protect!

When you think you are to busy to help, please could you reflect for a moment on .........

The following extract refers to environmental problems in general. I just hope you find it as thought provoking and relevant to orangutans as I have.

"This is such a shocking and unpalatable fact that most people deny it, or they just don't want to think about it. They believe as individuals, they can do little about it, so push it to the back of their minds. But I can't do that.

When something has to be done, we need to do it. It doesn't matter how big the challenge is or how hard the solution; if I know something is wrong, and I am in a position to help, I will do my best to make it right." Duncan Bannatyne, successful British businessman.