NGOs letter to government and buyers

A coalition of Indonesian NGOs sent today a letter to the government and to the buyers. "Is now more than 100 days that people in Sumatra and Kalimantan suffered from uncontrollable haze” says the letter. The haze is coming from forest fires related to forest conversion and plantation management, especially on dried peat soil, and exacerbated by El Nino.

While the forest fires burned 1.7 millions hectares, releasing millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosfere, people is forced to live in an atmosphere heavily polluted by sulfur-dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, causing respiratory illness, especially to small children. "In Palangkaraya, on September 25, the pollution index reached 2,300, forcing people to wear masks in their home” says the letter. Schools are closed, airports works discontinuously, and even the neighbors countries, such as Singapore are affected by the haze. According to satellite data, says the letter, such fires mostly occurred in big concession companies, notably the pulp plantation linked to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP)

Four APP suppliers have received a "Preventive Measures Notice" from the Government of Singapore for potential violations of Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, while some of them are being investigated by the Indonesian authorities. Forest fires are also located in the concessions of APP competitor, Asia Pacific Resources Limited (APRIL) and to palm oil plantations, such as those controlled by Golden Agri Resources (GAR, sister company of APP), Wilmar and CARGIL.
The letter demand to the government to stop issuing permits for pulp and palm oil plantations and to convict the companies linked to forest fires. The NGOs also ask to buyers and investor to stop any business with the companies involved in forest fires.

 The letter is signed by TUK Indonesia, ,HAKA, JMGJ, JMG South Sumatra, PUSAKA, Linkar Borneo PADI,HaKI, Persatuan Petani Jambi, Jikalahari

Greenomics: APRIL clearing High Conservation Value Forests

Greenomics Indonesia released a report that show how APRIL cleared (HCVF) High Conservation Value Forests, in breach with its own policy and even with the legislation, as the illegal clearance of legally-established HCVF areas constitutes a serious violation of forestry law.
The report uses the legal operating documents of PT RAPP (APRIL-owned concession) to observe land-cover changes in legally-established HCVF areas. To do so, Greenomics used USGS Landsat 8 and Google Earth images in time-series. The report presents evidence on the clearing of legally- established HCVF areas on APRIL’s own concession. APRIL will of course be given an opportunity to respond to the findings of the report.
"What does APRIL wish to achieve by clearing legally-established HCVF areas?” comments Greenomics in the report. In June this year, APRIL has announced a new sustainability policy to “clean up deforestation” from its entire supply chain, but according to Greenomics, the company has demonstrated its inability to ensure legal compliance as it has been proven to still be clearing legally- established HCVF areas. "What does it mean for APRIL, which committed itself to cleaning up its supply chain from deforestation, if the legally-established HCVF areas that are found on its own concessions are incapable of being protected and maintained, and even end up being cleared by APRIL itself?” concluded Greenomics.