Newsletter articles

DTE's quarterly newsletter provides information on ecological justice in Indonesia.

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DTE publications

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

The people of Porsea and environmental groups were delighted by Environment Minister Sonny Keraf's recommendation to the Cabinet on January 18th that PT Inti Indorayon's paper pulp and rayon fibre plant should be closed down or relocated. But their ten-year struggle against the pollution caused by this factory near Lake Toba in North Sumatra is far from over.

Down to Earth No 44, February 2000

After months of official inaction over the import of waste mud from Singapore, environment minister Sonny Keraf has finally taken action which may halt the shipments.

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

Siberut provides a vivid example of the way the powerful combination of Indonesia's economic problems and changes to local autonomy and forestry legislation threaten the future of the country's forests and indigenous people. A UNESCO workshop on conservation and sustainable development for the Siberut biosphere zone brought various conflicting parties together to look for local solutions.

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

A crisis in the oil palm industry is making a mockery of predictions that exports of the crop will help haul Indonesia out of its economic woes.

Export orders for Indonesian palm oil products fell sharply when the first shipment of palm oil, contaminated with diesel oil, was rejected by buyers in the Netherlands in October last year.

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

The Padang-based NGO, Pakis, has exposed two cases of log smuggling from the Pagai islands, part of the Mentawai chain off the west coast of Sumatra.

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

Companies which have profited from Indonesia's iron-fisted rule in West Papua, may be starting to feel jittery as calls for independence grow more insistent.

On December 1st last year celebrations took place in towns all over West Papua to mark the 38th anniversary of independence, declared when the territory was still under Dutch rule.

Down to Earth No. 44 February 2000

With the release of new maps and data on forest cover (or the lack of it) in Indonesia, the Jakarta government is having to face up to the country's rapid deforestation rate. International donors are pressing Wahid's government to take action now to stop illegal logging and to draw up a coherent medium-term national forestry programme.