Plantations

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.

Down to Earth No 43, November 1999

Important new forestry legislation was forced through parliament in the final weeks of Habibie's interim regime. According to forest campaigners and indigenous rights activists, the Forestry Act (No. 41 1999) is no advance in terms of protecting Indonesia's forests or forest peoples over the 1967 Basic Forestry Law it replaces.

Down to Earth No. 42, August 1999

East Timor's forests and agricultural lands have suffered extensive damage during the Indonesian occupation. Restoring the environment and setting the country on a development path that is economically viable, socially just and environmentally sustainable will be one of the many formidable challenges facing the government of an independent East Timor.

Down to Earth No. 42, August 1999

A long-running land dispute between oil palm plantation company PT London Sumatra and indigenous Dayak landowners has resulted in large-scale military and police repression in East Kalimantan.

Down to Earth No. 41, May 1999

Farmers, workers, indigenous peoples, fisherfolk, NGOs, students and academics are coming together to formulate people-centred, environmentally sound development strategies to replace the obsolete, bankrupt and abusive money-centred practices of the Suharto era.

Down to Earth No 40, February 1999

A number of factors are forcing the pace of reforms in forestry policy in Indonesia: many logging concessions have expired or will do so soon; the devastating 1997/8 forest fires; the corruption revealed in the aftermath of Suharto's resignation; the pressure for increased revenues from the forestry and plantation sectors from the economic crisis; loan conditions imposed by international donors; the ITTO's goal of sustainable logging by 20

Down to Earth No 40, February 1999

Talks on the future of West Papua are planned early this year. But just what will be on the agenda, when exactly it will be and who will attend is still unclear.