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Human rights

Illegal military payments by Freeport/Rio Tinto

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

Freeport, operator of the giant Grasberg goldmine in West Papua, is in the public spotlight once again over its financial relationship with the Indonesian security forces.

After almost forty years of largely fruitless protest, Amungme and Kamoro indigenous owners of the Freeport concession area in West Papua can be forgiven their cynicism at the latest push for accountability from the US-based mining company, Freeport.

ADB to fund BP's Tangguh gas project

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

Despite protests from NGOs, the Asian Development Bank has approved a loan for BP's giant Tangguh gas project in West Papua.

In December 2005, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) decided to put US$350 million towards the $5.5 billion gas extraction and liquefied gas processing plant, now being developed by Anglo-US multinational BP, in Bintuni Bay, in the western part of West Papua.

This project has attracted critical attention because of the actual and potential impacts on local people and the e

Aceh's forests

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

Aceh's forests are being stripped in the name of post-tsunami reconstruction. In reality, the timber becomes part of lucrative international timber smuggling.

The products of illegal logging from South-east Aceh are transported to Sibolga on the west coast of North Sumatra, and from South Aceh to ports near Medan in North Sumatra. From there, they are exported to Malaysia and further afield.

Mass protests challenge Inco

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

This article, contributed by YL Franky of the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago (AMAN), highlights ongoing protests against Inco, the Canadian-owned nickel mine at Sorowako, South Sulawesi.

Indigenous people affected by Inco's mining in Sorowako*, mineworkers, students and NGOs who have formed the Mine Victims' Solidarity Forum (FSMT), mounted a four-day occupation of the company's regional office in Makassar, South Sulawesi, from September 15 - 19th.

On 12 September, the FSMT

In Brief... DTE 67 - November 2005

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

Police open fire on farmers in Lombok

Indonesian human rights NGO Elsam has protested against the police shooting of farmers attending a national meeting in Lombok. Twenty seven people suffered gunshot injuries on September 18th when police dispersed a farmers' union general assembly organised by the Nusa Tenggara Barat union and the Federation of Indonesian Farmers Unions (FSPI). Eight people were detained at the meeting, which was attended by farmers' representatives from 26 countries.

The RSPO - towards "sustainable palm oil"?

Down to Earth No 66  August 2005

Interview with Marcus Colchester

Marcus Colchester is Director of the international NGO, Forest Peoples Programme, and a member of DTE's management committee. He has participated with Indonesian NGO, Sawit Watch, in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as a member of its Criteria Working Group.

Timber demand soars, fatal floods hit

Down to Earth No 66  August 2005

Flash floods hit southeastern Aceh in late April, killing at least nineteen people and injuring dozens more. The disaster can be linked to the huge demand for reconstruction timber in post-tsunami Aceh.

The floods brought rocks, logs and water crashing down hillsides, completely destroying people's homes late on April 26th, when most villagers were asleep. The villages of Lawe Gerger, Lawe Mengkudu, and Lawe Lak-Lak in Southeast Aceh district, were worst hit.