Save Indonesia's protected forest: Revoke Indonesian Goverment Regulation No. 2/2008

Indonesian Goverment Regulation No 2/2008 was issued in February 2008 to allow 13 mining companies and their related activities eg. town, transport and communication to use protected forests with the highest rental tariff of US$325/ha. However in the decree, no reference given to the 13 mining companies but to a broad range of mining and oil companies instead. In fact, an official said that other companies may also be eligible.

The areas of protected forests in Indonesia are decreasing rapidly. As well as its massive ecological impacts, this also causes indigenous people to lose their land and livehood which lead to poverty and marginalisation. On the other hand, the environmental practices of mining companies in Indonesia are mostly below the international standard.

The content of the regulation itself was not founded on a strong consultation and assessement which can be seen from the low rental tariff applied.

More information can be found at:
http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/PressRoom/Opinion/2008/2008_03_18.htm
http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0310-mining.html
http://www.walhi.or.id/kampanye/hutan/konversi/080328_walhi_pp22008_li/

Please put your name to support the pressure to revoke this regulation.

Thank you from forest people

Photo is the courtesy of www.indahnesia.com

Indonesian Goverment Regulation No 2/2008 was issued in February 2008 to allow 13 mining companies and their related activities eg. town, transport and communication to use protected forests with the highest rental tariff of US$325/ha. However in the decree, no reference given to the 13 mining companies but to a broad range of mining and oil companies instead. In fact, an official said that other companies may also be eligible.

The areas of protected forests in Indonesia are decreasing rapidly. As well as its massive ecological impacts, this also causes indigenous people to lose their land and livehood which lead to poverty and marginalisation. On the other hand, the environmental practices of mining companies in Indonesia are mostly below the international standard.

The content of the regulation itself was not founded on a strong consultation and assessement which can be seen from the low rental tariff applied.

More information can be found at:
http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/PressRoom/Opinion/2008/2008_03_18.htm
http://news.mongabay.com/2008/0310-mining.html
http://www.walhi.or.id/kampanye/hutan/konversi/080328_walhi_pp22008_li/

Please put your name to support the pressure to revoke this regulation.

Thank you from forest people

Photo is the courtesy of www.indahnesia.com

English version :

Dear President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono,

A protected forest is a part of forest whose function is to protect the life buffer system of the surrounding area. Moreover, with the increase rate of global warming leading to a climate change, the role of pristine forest as carbon adsorbent become very significant. However, due to transfer of forest use for  development purposes, the total area of protected forest in Indonesia is decreasing rapidly over the years.

On February 4th, 2008, Indonesian Goverment has issued a Decree Peraturan Pemerintah No. 2 Year 2004 about Types and Tariffs of Non-Tax State Income from the Use of Forest for Development other than Forestry Activities (hereafter referred as decree). This decree outlines the rules applied in renting the protected forests for mining and related activities.

A number of issues are questionable regarding to the contents of the decree. Firstly, although Indonesian goverment has explained that this decree is only aimed to 13 mining companies which have obtained permits before Law No. 41 Year 1999 regarding Forestry, no word in this decree gives reference to these particular companies. This may give a possibility that other mining companies even other activities may be permitted to operate in protected forests. Secondly, the Goverment did not give a full explanation on how different tariffs given in the decree were calculated (between 1.2 million rupiah and 3.0 million rupiah ($130-$325) per hectare pre year). Thirdly, this decree is surely not in line with the commitment of Indonesian Goverment to reduce deforestation made in the UN International Conference on Climate Change in December 2007 in Bali. Finally, this decree was issued without a proper consultation with affected communities.

Based on these four considerations, we, the undersigned Indonesian citizens and members of the international community, deeply regret the issue of this decree. Furthermore, we ask Indonesian Goverment to review the approval given to 13 mining companies whose licence granted before the issue of Law No.41 Year 19999 to operate in protected forests, because this reflects the higher priority given to large capital investment over the sustainability of protected forests which support the local people and ecosystem existing in the forest.


Sincerely,



Bahasa Indonesia version:

Yang terhormat Bapak Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Hutan lindung adalah suatu areal hutan yang memiliki fungsi utama melindungi sistem penyangga kehidupan daerah di sekelilingnya. Terlebih lagi dengan semakin meningkatnya laju pemanasan global yang membawa dampak perubahan iklim, peran hutan sebagai penyerap karbon menjadi sangat penting. Namun pada kenyataannya, dikarenakan banyaknya alih fungsi hutan untuk kepentingan pembangunan, total jumlah luas hutan lindung di Indonesia semakin berkurang dengan cepat.

Pada tanggal 4 Februari 2008, Pemerintah Indonesia mengeluarkan Peraturan Pemerintah (PP) No. 2 Tahun 2008 tentang Jenis dan Tariff PNBP dari Penggunaan Kawasan Hutan untuk Kepentingan Pembangunan di luar Kegiatan Kehutanan. PP ini mengatur penyewaan hutan untuk pertambangan dan kegiatan-kegiatan terkait.

Terkait dengan isi PP ini ada beberapa hal yang patut dipertanyakan. Pertama, meskipun telah dijelaskan oleh Pemerintah bahwa PP ini ditujukan khusus untuk 13 perusahaan tambang yang memperoleh izin sebelum UU No. 41 Tahun 1999 tentang Kehutanan, di dalam PP ini sendiri tidak ada satupun kata yang merujuk pada 13 perusahaan ini. Ini dapat memberi kemungkinan perusahaan-perusahaan tambang lain bahkan jesnis usaha lain untuk beroperasi di dalam hutan lindung. Kedua, Pemerintah tidak menjelaskan bagaimana tarif yang diberlakukan melalui PP ini dikalkulasi (antara 1,2 juta rupiah dan 3 juta rupiah per hektar per tahun). Ketiga, PP ini sungguh bertolak belakang dengan komitmen Pemerintah Indonesia untuk mengurangi laju kerusakan hutan yang dibuat di Konferensi Internasional PBB untuk Perubahan Iklim bulan Desember 2007 di Bali. Keempat, PP ini dikeluarkan tanpa melalui proses konsultasi yang memuaskan dengan masyarakat yang akan terkena dampak langsung dari deforestasi.

Berdasarkan keempat pertimbangan di atas, kami, yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini baik dari kalangan masyarakat Indonesia maupun dunia internasional menyatakan penyesalan atas keluarnya PP No. 2 Tahun 2008 ini dan memohon agar PP ini dicabut. Kami juga memohon penijauan kembali atas izin tambang terbuka di kawasan hutan lindung untuk perusahaan yang memiliki izin sebelum diterbitkannya UU No. 41 Tahun 1999, karena ini mencerminkan pemerintah lebih memprioritaskan investasi modal  besar dibandingkan keberlanjutan dari hutan lindung yang menunjang masyarakat dan ekosistem yang hidup di dalamnya.


Hormat kami,