Land and food security

Down to Earth No 55 November 2002


The events outlined below show that state-owned forestry company, Perhutani, remains an unreconstructed Suharto-era company, using violence and intimidation to deal with community opposition to its plans. They undermine the company's attempts to present itself to foreign buyers as a socially and environmentally progressive producer.

Perhutani has already run into trouble over certificates issued by the international eco-labelling organisation, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Down to Earth No55  November 2002

 

CORRECTION: MERAPI-MERBABU NATIONAL PARK PLANS, February 2003

In our November 2002 article on the proposed Merapi-Merbabu National Park (see below), we wrongly reported that the park was officially opened in October 2002. These plans are on hold following community protests.

Down to Earth No 52 February 2002

Forty seven farmers were rounded up by armed police, Brimob, forestry company staff and hired thugs in a November pre-dawn raid on Cibaliung village, Banten province, Java. Some were handcuffed and beaten during the forcible eviction from land now claimed by privatised forestry company, PT Perhutani. The farmers were denied access to lawyers. The evictions went ahead even though the Cibaliung farmers have documented proof of ownership of the land and pay taxes on it.

Down to Earth No. 51, November 2001


The prospect of widespread planting of genetically modified crops in Indonesia is causing alarm.

In September, 72 Indonesian NGOs grouped under the NGO Coalition for Biosafety and Food Safety lost their legal challenge against the Indonesian minister for agriculture, Bungaran Saragih, and PT Monagro, the Indonesian subsidiary of US-based biotechnology multinational, Monsanto. The NGO court case was aimed at annulling an agriculture ministry decree issued February 2001 (No.

Down to Earth No. 49, May 2001


A large proportion of Indonesia's farmers - especially outside Java - are organic farmers simply because they were not targeted or did not participate in the "green revolution" and are continuing traditional methods of farming. In other areas, farmers could no longer afford pesticides and fertilisers when prices shot up as a result of the economic crisis. This meant that arguments for organic farming methods started making a lot of sense.

Down to Earth No. 48 February 2001


This article is a summary of an Indonesian language report by land rights activist Andi Achdian, written following recent field work in West Java. The report details the impoverishment of farmers in Tegalbuleud sub-district during the Suharto years.

Down to Earth No. 48, February 2001


NGOs are protesting against the decision by local government authorities in East Java to license gold-mining in an area which includes a national park as well as productive plantation and farmland owned by local people.