Palm oil, paper firms 'destroying Indonesia's forests'

Many clearing land illegally, say green groups
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Straits Times 28 May 10;

JAKARTA: Palm oil and paper producers are the biggest threats to Indonesia's vast forests, according to environmental groups and other watchdogs.

Many cut timber illegally, clearing large tracts for easy profit from the raw material to make paper, they say. They also destroy entire forests to make way for oil palm plantations.

Aggressive expansion of palm and timber cultivation, coupled with weak enforcement of existing laws already on the books in Indonesia, have made the country the world's third worst polluter after China and the United States.

Greenpeace alleges that Indonesia's largest palm oil business group, the Sinar Mas Group, violated laws by clearing forests in Kalimantan without following proper environmental protection procedures.

The Jakarta-based business group has repeatedly denied that claim.

The group, which also has forest concessions in Riau province near Singapore to support its pulp and paper business division, is also facing accusations that it has damaged the environment there.

Greenpeace estimates that carbon emissions associated with the group's operations in Riau province alone are responsible for releasing 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the earth's atmosphere each year.

Another giant, the Raja Garuda Mas Group, operates in Riau and has been battling similar accusations from the green groups.

Deforestation has cut the forest area in Riau province to only about 30 per cent of its total land area now, according to Greenpeace. That is down sharply from 78 per cent back in 1982, according to Greenpeace.

Riau is often one of the areas worst affected by smoke haze from fires caused by slash-and-burn farmers who are clear land, plant on it and then sell the crops to companies.

The thick haze from forest fires can spread to the skies above Singapore and Malaysia. This has led to complaints from Indonesia's neighbours since smog started to envelop the region almost annually for 13 years.

The government says only 6.8 million out of the country's 133 million ha of land - or about 5 per cent - have been planted with oil palm. But non-government organisations say the figures are much higher: According to independent monitor Sawit Watch, a further 18 million ha have been cleared, on top of the land already planted.

Some analysts, however, say illegal loggers deserve their share of the accusations levelled against these palm oil and paper companies.

Mr Lin Che Wei from Independent Research & Advisory Indonesia told The Straits Times that in many cases, oil palm trees or other trees to support pulp and paper industries were planted on vacant land left by illegal loggers.