Representatives of indigenous communities, environmentalists and human rights defenders from all over West Papua met in Jayapura (4th-7th November 2014) to discuss problems linked to the forestry and large-scale plantation industries, which in recent years have been expanding rapidly throughout the island. Participants shared experiences about long-term injustices connected with plantations in Jayapura, Keerom and Boven Digoel. Participants from Papua’s deep south told of how they have been marginalised by plantations connected to the agribusiness development. Others from Sorong, Nabire and Mimika told of the many problems that started to unfold as the companies moved in. Delegates from Bintuni and Wondama Bays explained how the effects of the timber industry on communities are no less destructive. In many of these examples, the same problems emerge: intimidation from military and police, loss of livelihoods as the forest is destroyed, companies’ broken promises of bringing development to communities, environmental problems such as pollution, flooding and loss of water sources. Taking all this into account, the participants agreed to call for, among others, a 10-year moratorium on large-scale plantation and forestry investment.
See full note here: https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=1092
