Indonesia’s Palm Oil Plantations: Fuelling Disaster

By: Jofelle P. Tesorio

West Kalimantan, Indonesia -- “Urine is better than the water here,” said Urbestus P. who spoke with so much bitterness on how their river had become so polluted since their forests were converted into oil palm plantations.

Urbestus P. is just one of the Dayak Hibun living in Empirit Village, Parindu, Sanggau in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They used to call this place a piece of paradise where they traditionally gathered forest products to sustain their daily living. The forest used to be one with them in all the events of their lives from birth to burial.

The Dayak Hibun are one of the original settlers of this tiny village.

In 1990, state-owned PTPN XIII (PT. Perkebunan Nusantara), managing about 58,047 hectares of palm oil plantations in West Kalimantan, started to operate at the Empirit village. The company promised 150 Dayak families they could get palm oil plantation of their own.

But in reality, according to Ignacius Yus Ali, 50, only 90 families were accommodated. Other people who originally did not belong to the village got some piece of the plantation. Some were local government officials and from the ocal police. Yus Ali, a respected elder in his village, said the palm oil plantations brought disaster rather than economic improvement.

He gave up his seven-hectare land to the company but did not get the promised plantation.

The company even told them to give compensation for the plants that grow in the land, especially those with economic value. However, in the process, they did not get anything. The company deceived the local community by taking their lands without fully discussing the consequences of the oil palm plantations. At that time, the government and the corporation tagged the people, who tried to complain about their condition, as communist party members or anti-development campaigners.The compensation scheme was not also fully explained.

In 1994, about 18 Dayaks in Empirit went to court to file a lawsuit for compensation of lands cleared and surrendered to PTPN XIII. There were 30 hearings in the lower court but they lost the case. They appealed to the high court in Kalimantan but lost again. They went to the Supreme Court in Jakarta but it has not been decided until now.

The River

The local people originally lived on the river bank. When the plantations began, (PTPN started in the hill) they provided the houses for them but because of the poor water system, they moved back near to the river. Eventually, the waste water coming from the factory of the plantation polluted the river and others were forced to move to the hill and built houses by themselves. Now they face the problem of finding clean water.

Because of that, many, especially the children, suffered scabies and other skin diseases. The polluted water also affected their poultry and other domesticated animals like pigs. They have no access to clean water. The water is not even fit for taking a bath. To survive, they get drinking water from the spring that is very hard to find especially during the dry season.

Before the plantations came, they had clean water in the river. “We could even see the fish,” said Yus Ali.

They used to earn their livelihood from rattan and resin gathering and planting rice. Now, people could no longer plant rice because they don’t have their own land anymore. The forestland near the village was also converted into oil palm plantations. Opening the access to the forest led to its destruction.

Indonesia’s Environment

According to a report, “Planting Disaster”, published by Madanika, Telepak Indonesia and Puti Jaji in 2000, Indonesia has planted a long-term disaster through the oil palm plantations. Large-scale oil palm plantations have been considered a panacea for Indonesia’s economy after a prolonged crisis. What the government, businessmen and international financial institutions thought would create working devisa, working opportunities and increase farmers’ welfare, has resulted in the opposite outcome.

The report also cited that Indonesia’s forests, the third largest forest after Brazil and Zaire, have been disappearing at the most rapid rate in history – at two million hectares a year.

Half of the known species of commercially important diptecarp trees are in Indonesia – 155 of them in Kalimantan alone.

It is home to 10% of all plant species in the world, 12% of mammals, 16% of reptiles and amphibians and 17% of birds, orang-utans, proboscis monkey, Sumatran rhinoceros, tiger, elephants, rhinoceros hornbill, clouded leopard, sunbear, birdwings butterfly (world’s largest) and crocodiles. Since these species thrive on tropical rainforests, oil palm plantations that accommodate only two plant species (oil palm and leguminose that provides ground cover) threaten their existence and hinder migration patterns of mammals.

Another report, “Funding Forest Destruction,” by AIDEnvironment, Telapak and Contrast Advies, cited that by 1995, investors had applied for permits to convert a total area of 20 million hectares of forest land to oil palm plantations, an area equal to 10% of Indonesia’s total land mass of 192,738,878. Conversion forest in Indonesia is only about 19,039,000 hectares in 1995. If all applications would be granted, there will a deficit of 1,154,576 in conversion forest.

World Bank 2001 Report says that in 1999, only 90 million hectares have actually been forested.

In 1997, the Indonesian Investment Co-ordination Board (BKPM) had approved over 600 oil palm plantation projects covering an area of almost nine million hectares.

Effects

Battling for the world’s number one crude palm oil producer against Malaysia and Indonesia has pushed INdonesia's forest resources to the limits. Various environmental and social problems have been attributed to monoculture oil palm plantations.

Detailed analysis of satellite image taken by the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ) showed that almost 10 million hectares had been affected by the 1997-98 forest fires. The report said that 46-80% of all larger fires occurred in plantation concessions – most were allegedly lit for land-clearing purposes.

According to a Jakarta Post report, in June 1999, the Samihin Dayak won a lawsuit against seven oil palm subsidiaries of the Salim Group, Laguna Manidiri I to III, Langgeng Muara Makmur II and III, Paripurna Sawkarsa I and Swadaya Andika II, over large-scale forest fires in South Kalimantan in 1997. They were found guilty of burning farming areas owned by the local people.

But up to now, forest fires are a common occurrence in Sumatra and West Kalimantan. The same newspaper report dated June 16, 2003, stated that more than 60 people were found to be suffering from lung diseases because of the haze arising from forest fires.

Rapid conversion of forestlands to oil palm plantations is also a major cause of deforestation coupled with loss of species.

When forest are cleared, soil erosion is unavoidable because the peak of the soil runs off to the river and streams.

Illegal Forest Clearing

Palm oil plantation companies as well as the government are liable for illegal forest clearing. Because of the bureaucratic process in getting a permit, companies tend to circumvent the law by clearing the lands even if their applications are still pending at the Ministry of Forestry and Estate Crops. Even vegetation near the riversides and lakes has been encroached by illegal clearing. National parks are now threatened by this illegal practice.

Water pollution is also another impact that has not been addressed squarely by investors and the government. “Funding Forest Destruction” tells that to produce six million tons of crude palm oil (CPO), 15 million tons of palm oil effluents are generated. In 1999, the CPO production of Indonesia reached 5.6 million tons. It generated as much sewage as one-tenth of Indonesia’s total population.

In the case of Dayak Hibun, the palm oil factory of PTPN XIII killed the river that gave life to the community. Urbestus P.and Yus Ali now just stare into the far-off horizon outside their small huts and think of the time when they could just fish in the river for food and reminisce about happy memories of their childhood. The river in Empirit Village is now a thing of the past with its brackish and oily elements contaminating the once treasured free-flowing water.

But Engineer P. Sihotang, Local Plantation Services Officer in Sanggau, brushed aside the environmental and other negative impacts of palm oil plantations. He said these are minor compared to the benefit the district and the country get.

According to him, the production in Sanggau alone (145,325 hectares) is 1 million ton (fruit brunch) in 2002. The average price is around Rp 400-500 per kilo.

“We can look at the figures to know how much money this sector provides.

It is much bigger than the budget given by the national government to the local government. It is not only the farmer who benefits from palm oil but also other sectors. It has a multiplier effect on society (like transportation and other business services),” he said with pride in his voice.

Sihotang considers forest lands as “unused” and “sleeping” and thinks of the indigenous peoples, who by tradition depend on forest products for a living, “unemployed.”

“Many people complain about the ecological impact of palm oil but it is better to plant palm oil than let the grass grow into a wasteland,” he added.

He assured that the land converted into oil plantations are not forest but mostly grassland. However, taking the case of the Dayaks in various parts of West Kalimantan, the lands converted used to be rainforests. The plantation officer admitted that they still lack regulations on how get a permit from the government, agreement with the community, social responsibility, indigenous peoples rights, and mechanisms for replanting deforested areas. The regulation, he said, is still at the district level and not in the House of Representatives.

Promise Unfulfilled

“The promise of palm oil has not happened. (Janji-janji perusahaan tidaklah menjadi kenyataan) The farmers have already surrendered their lands and they cannot turn back the time. If they could, they could have not accepted it.” (Jika belum sama sekali lebih baik tidak usah)

This was the statement F.H. Supardi, 60, leader of Koperasi Mustari, one of the six cooperatives organized by PTPN XIII n Sanjan Emberas, Kecamatan. Tayanhulu, Sanggau.

Supardi said they were also promised that oil palm plantations would be maintained in better condition but until now, the productivity has become worse because the company is not serious in maintaining the land. If there are problems with the community, the company gives little attention. At this time, three communities have barricaded the land but they haven’t been getting any attention from the company.

Social conflicts also arise because of the discontent of the farmers and the seeming greediness of a lot of palm oil companies. After the lands had been already cleared and taken by the companies, they ignore the pleas of the people who previously owned them.

According to Supardi, they also filed a case in court against the government asking for compensation for the land clearing. In 1994-95, about five busloads of farmers went to the Pontianak court five times. In one instance, the police tried to stop them saying it would cause violence. The Dayaks, by history, are peace-loving people. The case is rotting in the archives of the Supreme Court. Out of hopelessness, the group sent a letter to the President but it went unanswered.

Debts

Another problem besetted the community of farmers when they were asked to sign a document stating an incurred debt of about Rp31 million from the Agro Bank in Jakarta. They refused to sign the document because they don’t believe that their debts have gone so high. The company or the bank did not explain how they came up with the amount.

They sent a petition letter to the company a month ago but the latter did not respond to their questions. The company said that it’s the bank’s responsibility to tell them how much debt they have incurred so far. From their perspective, the debt would only be about 10 million Rupiah.

The Dayak Hibun in Empirit also have the same story. When the planting started, plasma farmers already incurred a questionable debt of Rp 9-11 million. They don’t know where this amount came from.

According to Yus Ali, some company personnel told them that it is for land clearing and preparation, seed, maintenance of palm oil trees until they produce fruit (about 4 years), fertilizer until production, housing, interest in the bank and insurance.

Simea Indo-Agro and Mitra Austral documents show that the Dayak Hibun have a debt of Rp11 -14 million in 1996 and Rp30 million in 2003. After 1998, there was no clearing and planting but the debt still accumulated.

“Every year, there is a different credit scheme that we could not understand,” Yus Ali lamented.

Most of the plasma farmers do not have money to buy enough fertilizer.

Plasma farmers form one category stemming from the plantations. They are the farmers who gave up their lands in exchange for a portion to cultivate as palm plantation. They are entitled to sell the fruit brunch to the company while the fertilizers and seeds are provided by the latter on loan.

The other type of farmer is called nucleus, or those who are directly employed by the company. A nucleus farmer receives about $1.0 a day.

The situation in Empirit Village has worsened as the promise faded away.

Before the company came, they had an elementary school built by the Indonesian government. For the junior and senior high school, students have to walk (or bike) about six kms. to reach Sosok and Parindu proper.

Bad Road

Although educational assistance has not been part of the package, the least the company could provide is a passable road during the rainy season and a liveable community.

“The bad road is our destiny. We will never get a good road,” said Rupinus Arip Sumah, President of Sawit Permai Cooperative in Parindu, Sanggau.

Most of the Dayak Hibun have not received proper education. Only 10% of the children go to junior or senior high school. Scholarship is also not provided by the company.

The electricity network has not reached the village. They use a generator set for the 15-watt consumption from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (enough for 2 bulbs) and pay Rp5,000 per month to a local entrepreneur.

Traditional dance is still being practised from time to time but festivities such as thanksgiving for the bountiful harvest is no longer around because it has become senseless due to deforestation.

Strange Diseases

Free hospitalization or accessible clinics are not the things they enjoy.

Yus Ali said that if one gets sick, they go to the public clinic. If they go to the company hospital, they need to pay and it’s too expensive.

The majority of the Dayak Hibun still practice traditional medicine.

Before the plantation came, they usually had familiar diseases but now, some get diseases strange to them. Some also suffer from eye diseases and they still don’t know the reason. Animals, specifically pigs and chicken, suffered a kind of unusual body heat they refer to as sampar or a heat stroke.

The unexplained diseases might have been brought about by the chemicals that contaminated the river or from the fertilizers used for oil palm but it has not been backed by a solid research. The whole Dayak Hibun family, including women and children, take care of the oil palm trees to ensure a good harvest. Part of the job is spray fertilizers and pesticides loaned by the plantation company.

Tenaganita (Women’s Force), a women’s organization in Malaysia, came out with a report entitled “Poisoned and Silenced”, that tackled the plight of more than 30,000 women hired in palm oil plantations as sprayers of pesticides and fertilizers. The study revealed poor maintenance and leaks in the sprays, poor medical care and first aid facilities and in some cases lack of protective gears.

It said that 90% of exposure to pesticides occurs through the skin, and women have a thin skin which predisposes them to a high level of chemical absorption into the body. “Very few women know that the highest absorption point is the genital area. They experience severe vaginal burning sensations after spraying but suffer in silence since they are ashamed to state this problem to the hospital assistants that are more often than not men.”

The Tenaganita report added that common symptoms of fatigue, back pain, severe head-ache , nausea, giddiness, tightness of the chest, chest pains, swelling breasts, are indicative exposure to organophosphate and carbamate type of pesticides.

The World Rainforest Movement bulletin stated that work on oil palm plantations is back-breaking and dangerous. Palm oil fruits grow alongside thorny fronds, 12 to 15 ft. above the ground. They are cut down by a heavy pole and the skin, head and the eyes of the gatherer are likely to be cut by the falling fronds. When fruits are picked, the thorns can also become permanently lodged in the hands that cause constant irritation and infection.

Importance of Palm Oil

Despite the various effects of mono-culture palm oil plantations, there is no stopping the government from attracting investors.

Palm oil is one of the most in demand products in the world today. We wake up with palm oil and sleep with palm oil. There is no escaping and we could not avoid palm oil in our daily life. Palm Oil Research Institute (PORIM) in Malaysia identified products made of palm oil such as resin, paint, crayon, wax, shortening, chocolate-fat substitute and four kinds of bread fatty. Its derivatives are important elements of soap, detergent, shampoo, margarine and cosmetics. It is also made as salad oil, bread oil and cooking oil. Out of the glycerol, it could produce emulsifying agent, food supplements and organic solvent. From the fatty acids, soap, thin grease, ink, gloss liquid, detergent, steel grease and bio diesel are produced.

In an article “Palm Oil Enters Free Market Area” by Data Consult in 1998, it shows that from 1994-98, the global consumption of palm oil increased by 22%, from 14.5 to 17.7 million tons. It was expected to have increased by 50% this year. According to the article, by 2012, Palm oil may be the most produced, consumed and traded vegetable oil in the international market. Today, 80% of global crude palm oil (CPO) production (117.7 million tons) and 87% of global exports (12.4 million tons) are accounted for by Malaysia and Indonesia. As the world demand increases, the supply should also increase.

But the assets of the oil palm plantations in Indonesia remain in the hands of the few companies that control the whole palm oil environment.

While the Dayaks and other poor farmers skim for clean drinking water and continue to suffer from the consequences of this industry, the employees, the managers and the owners of these companies, and the politicians who pocketed profits from the bureaucracy sit in the comfort of their air-conditioned offices and display their newly-bought luxury vehicles to the envy of many.

This was very evident by the posh and grandiose main office of PTPN XIII in Pontianak, West Kalimantan where expensive vehicles paraded its garage while the bosses trotting around the fully-furnished offices in their most up to date mobile phones.

Market Price

While Indonesia is gearing for world domination of palm oil industry, the price of fresh fruit brunch from the farmers remains very low.

The CPO price in international market is around Rp3,000 but the fresh brunch is only bought from the farmers for about Rp500.

Rupinus Arip Sumah believes that this should be around Rp 600-700.

Before the economic crisis in Indonesia, fresh brunch price was around Rp 300. At this time, the price of rice was just Rp50,000 per sack and the fertilizer was just Rp300 per kilo. Now the rice is Rp125,000 per sack and the fertilizer is Rp 2,000 per kilo.

“If they say that palm have improved the quality of our life, is it bullshit!” (Jika mereka mengatakan bahwa kelapa sawit telah memberikan kesejahteraan bagi petani, itu NOL BESAR,” ), Rupinus said.

Just like the other group of Dayak, Rupinus’ group protested about the debt they incurred from the bank amounting to Rp 9-11 million.

He narrated that some people from the company and the bank gathered them and asked them to sign a document pertaining to their debt. They signed because they thought that the land would be awarded to them.

Buying of fruit brunches from the farmers is coursed through cooperatives formed by the company. Koperasi Mustari, one of the cooperatives of PTPN XIII, sells the fruits to the company and gets 1% per kilo. Pricing scheme is controlled by a committee that measures the international price and other economic factors.

The members of the committee are the government representatives from the plantation services, palm oil companies through the association of palm oil growers and the association of farmers.

“But the association of farmers doesn’t have any power in the committee. They’re like an audience,” said F.H. Supardi.

According to Rufinus Arip Sumah, the company built a cooperative to make things easier. The cooperative does the dirty works and the company just waits for the profit. It uses the cooperative in a form of oligopoly to ensure that the farmers won’t sell the products to other factories.

It is also a way of the company to show the public that it cares about corporate social responsibility.

Social Responsibility

PTPN XIII’s motto is growing with partners. This is according to the company’s 2001 annual report. It’s mission is to help develop the community through small-scale business and cooperatives. It also has priority programs like improvement of social facilities that includes the repair of school buildings, lighting, clean water facilities, prayer houses and aid to the non-government organizations/social organizations that care about the welfare of the community within the estates of PTPN XIII.

On the contrary, the amount allocated in paper does not reach the area of the Dayak Hibun in Empirit Village, not far away from the comfortable residence of the estate manager.

PTPN’s media relations refused to give further interviews citing stiff bureaucratic process within the company.

Astro-Agra Lestari Tbk., another big company, took the initiative to use natural pesticides. Tjanhyo Dwi Ariantono, Investor Relations, said the company is now gearing towards zero pesticides.

“The problem of the environment has been there but we are trying to contribute something for it,” he said.

To minimize the use of pesticides, Astra breeds natural predators such as owls to eat the rats that destroy oil palm tress as well as application of organic fertilizer. Since breeding has produced quite a number of owls, Tjanhyo said they are giving some to other plantations.

Its 2002 annual report boasted that it lent some palm seeds to the farmers without interest and gave out scholarship program to about 1,247 students. It also practices the 6R principles such as reduce, reuse, recycle, recover the use of raw material from nature, and retrieve to energy.

Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) Chair Longgena Ginting said very few company want to develop the plantations and to give the community an alternative livelihood.

The Big Players

Malaysian companies are practically dominating the palm oil game in Indonesia.

In Anne Casson’s “The Hesitant Boom,” there are about 45 Malaysian companies with Indonesian partners scattered around the archipelago. They are concentrated in the Islands of Kalimantan, Sumatra and Papua.

The biggest Malaysian companies are Austral Enterprises Berhad, EPA Management Sendirian Berhad, Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, Hak Corporation Sdn Bhd, and Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad .

Guthrie’s chief executive Tan Sri Datuk Khalid Ibrahim, in a Jakarta Post report on April 7, 2003, said the group would invest about US$100 million over the next two years to increase the output of its palm oil operations in Indonesia. It paid some US$368 million for the 25 plantations which cover more than 260,000 hectares in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi from the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency. The latter took over Salim Group’s plantations as part of the group’s repayment to government’s debt.

Around 30 Indonesian companies are also in palm oil plantation business. Among them are P.T Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Corporation Tbk.

(SMART), PT Perusahaan Perkebunan London Sumatra Indonesia Tbk. (LonSum), PT Asian Agri Plantation, PT Astra-Agro Lestari, PT Kalimantan Sanggar Pusaka, Pt Bakrie & Brothers Tbk., PT Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk., PT Agro Indomas and Salim Group.

Looking forward, most of these companies are eyeing countries with vast forest like the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia because they know that soon the carrying capacity of both Malaysia and Indonesia’s environment will be over.

The influence of these businessmen to the politics of Indonesia cannot be underestimated. Palm oil has been considered to be one of the biggest income generating industries that flows to the cash box of the centralistic Jakarta.

Owners of these companies still have a vast influence over the powers that be.

Bob Hasan, founder of the Astra Group and Chair of Astra International, held a range of powerful positions especially in the forestry sector. He was minister of trade during Soeharto’s regime and owner of PT Mapindo, the company that monopolizes forest surveying services.

Raja Garuda Mas, led by Sukanto Tanoto, is one of the Indonesia’s leading business groups that has 90 or more separate companies. Most of these companies are just part of big holdings and investment corporations.

Corruption, collusion and nepotism (Korrupsi Kollusi dan Nepotism-KKN) is also a big factor for the ongoing forest degradation and social conflicts. During Soeharto’s time, according to “Funding Forest Destruction” , his business cronies had easy access to concession rights to exploit state-controlled natural resources. Billions of profits were siphoned off for other purposes.

Laws

Decentralization (Law 22/99) and Fiscal Balancing (Law No. 25/1999) have also become a big factor for the continuous rape of forests in Indonesia.

According to the research “Shifting Power to the Periphery” By Ida Adu Pradja, local governments, motivated by necessity and opportunity attempted to generate revenues from forest resources without adequately considering the social and environmental consequences.

These laws, the report said, transferred authorities for forest resources to regional governments and gave them an increased share of the revenues derived from forestry. But article 2 of Law No. 22/1999 provides legal basis for the transfer to the regions of authority over all sectors of governance except foreign affairs, the judiciary, defence and security, monetary and fiscal matters and other authorities which include utilization of natural resources and conservation.

“In the area of natural resources, these two articles can be interpreted as contradictory and ambiguous,” the report cited.

In a Jakarta Post article on Jan. 27, 2003, director of forest exploitation at the Ministry of Forestry, Lumisu Mangiwa, said the problem has become the subject of dispute between the Ministry and the local administrations as the latter refused to comply, claiming their right over the use of the forests. He added that the Ministry had banned the issuance of forest concession licences in order to rehabilitate destroyed natural forests.

Drs. Y. Th. Donatus Djaman, Local District Representative (DPR) in Sanggau District, however said the palm oil industry contributes more to the central government than the local government in terms of taxes. The authority of control in palm oil industry is still on the central government.

He added that the taxes for export and CPO processing still go to the central government. “The central government devolved the authority to the local government but it actually has no authority to tax palm oil business,” Djaman said.

The local government gets a meager part of the profit in the form of yearly allocation. “It is not clearly indicated where it came from.” Djaman said, “It is not fair to the local community who gave up their lands but they are not well-compensated. They also do not get the opportunity to improve their welfare because payment for the utilization of land for palm oil is very low.”

“Before the palm oil came, the local community practised their indigenous culture but after their lands had been taken, they can’t practise it anymore.”

Considering the situation, the companies that put up plantations even asked the local government to provide them infrastructure like road, bridge and water system.

Learning from experience, the local representative thinks that new investments on palm oil in Sanggau should be stopped. “It is too much and has brought a lot of problems,” he ended.

Longgena Ginting said Indonesian laws are very difficult. There are not enough environmental laws and the enforcement is weak. The existence of indigenous peoples is not recognized. Of the 30 lawsuits filed with the help of WALHI and other NGOs in behalf of the community and the indigenous peoples, only one was successful.

“We always change the government but the mindset of the politicians does not changed,” he quipped.

Right now, NGOs are lobbying for the passage of the Natural Resources Management Act, a proposed law that they hope could answer the problems reelated to the environment. They expect strong oppositions from the Ministry of Mining and Forestry and business giants benefiting from the current environmental set-up but they hope that with the help of progressive legislators, this bill will be passed.

Because of the negative impacts of palm oil plantations, more than 40 Indonesian NGOs bonded to form Sawit (palm) Watch in July 25, 1998. Since then, more NGOs have pledged their support to local and indigenous peoples struggles against large-scale oil palm plantation companies; to campaign against IMF/World Bank’s sectoral adjustment for liberalizing oil palm plantations; and to raise public awareness at the local, national and international levels on the social and environmental impacts of oil palm

The Future

Sustainable development is still a concept yet to be discovered and appreciated in Indonesia. The plight of plantation workers, farmers and indigenous peoples who become victims of unsustainable oil palm monocultures are the living examples.

If Indonesia would completely ignore the pleas of these people in exchange of foreign investments that bring in the cash bags, the time bomb would soon explode right at the faces of the leaders. The once rich country in Southeast Asia would soon find itself struggling for wealth because its vast land and rich natural resources have already been consumed to the maximum without thinking of the future generation. Poverty will become prevalent and social conflicts unavoidable.

There should be fundamental changes in a way forestland is allocated in Indonesia. Respect for indigenous peoples rights over their lands should be recognized. Considering the rapid deforestation, the government should put a stop to new investments in order for the forest to recover and regenerate.

“For the people who have not been in this situation, please think many times before accepting the promise of palm oil,” (Bagi mereka yang belum terjerus pada situsasi seperti kami, sebaiknya piker-pikir dahulu sebelum menerima janji yang diberikan kelapa sawit) said F.H. Supardi.

And as Rupinus Arip Sumah lamented, “if this problem still happens, they will pass on a lot of problems to the next generation because there will be no forest left. The palm oil plantations have not provide a good future; the quality of water has been polluted and it will become a nightmare to the next generation.”

Soon, Indonesia's forests will just become a sad memory if nothing sustainable is implemented.