Piles of garbage were seen along the side of Blorep Street is suspected to have been dumped by local residents Despite a sign prohibiting littering in the area residents continue to dispose of their trash on the roadside The large accumulation of waste has made Blorep Street uncomfortable especially as the garbage often spills onto the road and emits a foul odor These piles of garbage also contribute to an unhealthy environment and the Merauke Regency Government is expected to promptly address the issue by providing adequate waste disposal facilities Tampak tumpukan sampah di pinggir Jalan Blorep Sampah yang sebagian besar merupakan sampah plastik tersebut diduga dibuang oleh warga sekitar Warga tetap membuang sampah di pinggir jalan meskipun sudah ada papan bertuliskan larangan membuang sampah di sana.  Banyaknya tumpukan sampah membuat Jalan Blorep menjadi tidak nyaman Apalagi sampah tersebut sering berserakan ke badan jalan dan mengeluarkan bau tidak sedap Tumpukan sampah juga membuat lingkungan menjadi tidak sehat Warga diharap tidak lagi membuang sampah sembarangan Pemerintah Kabupaten Merauke juga diharapkan segera mengatasi persoalan tersebut dengan menyediakan tempat pembuangan sampah yang memadai agelaran Sabang Merauke: The Indonesian Broadway a large-scale cultural performance produced locally is set to return to the stage at the Indonesia Arena in the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex in Central Jakarta by the end of August Presented by telecommunications company iForte and BCA the show will feature more than 600 musicians and dancers combining theatrical elements with traditional and contemporary dance set to modernized traditional music and costumes by renowned fashion designers This year’s production will spotlight the theme “Hikayat Nusantara” (Tales of the Archipelago) a celebration of cherished local folklore passed down through generations across the archipelago the show follows five previous performances over the past three years bringing themes like “Mother Earth” and “Heroes of the Archipelago” said the initiative is part of the company’s commitment to support local culture iForte works closely with local communities when building towers and fiber optic networks "This performance is our way of showing appreciation to local communities the boundaries between nations are increasingly blurred We want to ensure that digitalization has a positive impact so we created this performance to inspire young people to embrace their culture," he said on Tuesday To ensure authenticity while remaining relevant to the younger generation the organizer collaborated with local artists and cultural figures during the research process "These stories are not only interesting but also contain relevant life messages that are worthy of being passed on," executive producer of the Sabang Merauke Performance Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small or large—find what’s most comfortable for you The Papua Legal Aid Institute of Merauke (LBH Papua Merauke) organized an article writing workshop in Merauke One of the topics presented was the importance of providing complete information using the 5W+1H method (what it was emphasized that writing is a crucial means of conveying ideas it is important to skillfully arrange words so that the intended message can be clearly understood by the readers Well-written pieces are likely to receive positive responses from various sectors including the government and the general public Participants were encouraged to be more sensitive to the issues surrounding their environment particularly in the South Papua region such as Merauke Regency students and young activists are expected to become more active in the communications departments of their respective organizations Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Papua Merauke (LBH Papua Merauke) bekerja sama dengan Ka’awa Papua mengadakan pelatihan menulis artikel di Merauke Pelatihan yang diikuti oleh 12 peserta tersebut diisi oleh Yason Ngelia Salah satu materi yang disampaikan adalah tentang kelengkapan informasi menggunakan metode 5W+1H (what Dalam pelatihan tersebut juga disampaikan bahwa menulis merupakan salah satu cara penting untuk menyampaikan ide penting untuk mampu merangkai kata-kata dengan baik agar pesan yang ingin disampaikan dapat dipahami dengan jelas oleh pembaca.  Tulisan yang baik akan mendapatkan respon positif dari berbagai kalangan termasuk pemerintah dan masyarakat umum.  Para peserta diminta untuk lebih peka terhadap persoalan-persoalan di sekitar lingkungannya khususnya di wilayah Papua Selatan seperti Kabupaten Merauke para mahasiswa dan aktivis muda bisa aktif di bidang komunikasi organisasi masing-masing Participants of the Article Writing Training posed for a group photo after completing the training on Saturday The writing training was held at the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua Merauke) office The training was organized by LBH Papua Merauke in collaboration with the Kalawai Media Foundation and the Center for Community Studies (Kalawa Papua) A total of 15 young activists participated in the training including members from the Boven Digoel Student Association The training was facilitated by Yason Ngelia from Kalawai Papua Yason explained that the primary purpose of writing articles is to present facts participants were also asked to practice writing They enthusiastically completed all assigned tasks and presented the results of their writing it is hoped that young activists in Merauke will be able to express their ideas and criticisms regarding the conditions in Merauke which involves the clearing of two million hectares of land This project poses a threat to the environment and the forests belonging to Indigenous communities Pelatihan Menulis untuk Aktivis Muda Merauke Para peserta Pelatihan Menulis Artikel berfoto bersama usai mengikuti pelatihan pada Sabtu Pelatihan menulis tersebut diadakan di kantor di kantor Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Papua Merauke (LBH Papua Merauke) di Gang Daut Pelatihan menulis tersebut diselenggarakan oleh LBH Papua Merauke berkerja sama dengan Yayasan Kalawai Media dan Pusat Studi Masyarakat (Kalawa Papua) Sebanyak 15 aktivis muda menjadi peserta pelatihan itu Antara lain dari Ikatan Mahasiswa Boven Digoel Sedangkan pengisi pelatihan tersebut adalah Yason Ngelia dari Kalawai Papua Yason mengatakan bahwa tujuan utama menulis artikel adalah menyampaikan fakta para peserta juga diminta untuk melakukan praktik penulisan Para peserta antusias membuat semua tugas yang diminta sekaligus mempresentasikan hasil penulisan mereka para aktivis muda Merauke diharapkan bisa menyampaikan gagasan serta kritik mereka terhadap kondisi di Merauke untuk diketahui oleh publik Saat ini ada berbagai persoalan di Merauke salah satunya adalah proyek Food Estate yang membuka lahan seluas 2 juta hektare Proyek tersebut mengancam kelestarian lingkungan dan hutan masyarakat adat A torch parade was held by the Catholic Youth (OMK) of the Merauke Vicariate The Easter parade was organized to commemorate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ The event began with a prayer and was officially opened by the Regent of Merauke along with the Vicar of the Diocese of Merauke The parade commenced at 6:00 PM local time (WIT) from Saint Joseph Church in Bambu Pemali Subdistrict The parade concluded at the Archdiocese of Merauke Secretariat the faithful were welcomed by the Governor of South Papua Province Tampak pawai obor yang dilakukan Orang Muda Katolik (OMK) Kevikepan Merauke Pawai Paskah tersebut diadakan untuk memperingati Hari Kebangkitan Yesus Kristus.  Acara diawali dengan doa dan dibuka oleh Bupati Merauke Yoseph B Gebze bersama Vikep Keuskupan Merauke Pastor Simson Walewawan Perjalanan pawai dimulai dari Gereja Santo Yoseph di Kelurahan Bambu Pemali Pawai berakhir di Sekretariat Keuskupan Agung Merauke Kecamatan Merauke pada pukul 19.19 WIT.  umat diterima oleh Gubernur Provinsi Papua Selatan Apolo Safanpo dan Uskup Mgr Coastal erosion at Lampu Satu Beach in Merauke is increasingly threatening the safety of local residents with several homes already sustaining serious damage one house near the shoreline was visibly affected its structure compromised due to the advancing erosion erosion along this stretch of coastline has intensified significantly The relentless loss of soil and rock has destabilized building foundations The situation poses an immediate danger to residents who fear their houses could give way at any time Local communities are urging the government to take swift action by constructing coastal barriers to protect residential areas from further damage Experts attribute the worsening erosion to the impacts of climate change particularly widespread deforestation in Papua is cited as a major contributor to these climate shifts Activists and residents alike are calling on the government to enforce stronger protections for forests and halt environmentally harmful practices across the region Abrasi di Pantai Lampu Satu Merauke Ancam Rumah Warga Tampak kondisi salah satu rumah warga di pinggir Pantai Lampu Satu Merauke yang rusak akibat abrasi pada Rabu Abrasi di wilayah pantai Lampu Satu semakin parah dalam beberapa tahun terakhir Masifnya abrasi menyebabkan rumah-rumah penduduk yang berada di sekitar pantai rusak.  Terkikisnya batu dan tanah membuat pondasi rumah bergeser sehingga terancam roboh Kondisi tersebut jelas membahayakan warga karena rumah mereka bisa roboh sewaktu-waktu Pemerintah diharap segera membangun penahan air untuk melindungi pemukiman dari abrasi Perubahan iklim menjadi salah satu pemicu peningkatan abrasi pantai Perubahan iklim menyebabkan kenaikan permukaan air laut peningkatan frekuensi dan intensitas badai Masifnya perusakan lingkungan dan hutan menjadi pemicu utama perubahan iklim di Papua pemerintah diminta untuk menghentikan perusakan hutan dan lingkungan di Papua Indigenous communities from various regions gathered to oppose the National Strategic Projects (PSN) during the Merauke Solidarity Consolidation event in Merauke More than 250 representatives from NGOs and indigenous communities across different regions assembled in Merauke from March 11-14 they issued the Merauke Solidarity Declaration to Reject National Strategic Projects (PSN) demanding that President Prabowo Subianto immediately halt problematic PSN developments in various areas is currently facing PSN-driven land expansion covering 2 million hectares The attendees included communities affected by the food estate project in North Sumatra Also present were communities impacted by the Rempang Eco City project in Riau Islands and the new capital city (IKN) Nusantara project in East Kalimantan.  victims of PSN projects such as the Poco Leok geothermal project in East Nusa Tenggara and the extractive industry for energy plantations and bioenergy in Jambi participated Other affected groups included communities from Fakfak and Bintuni Bay in West Papua and those impacted by palm oil plantation expansion across Papua The Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) the commission received 114 complaints related to PSN She also mentioned that Komnas HAM had submitted several recommendations to ministries and institutions regarding alleged human rights violations in PSN projects The declaration was also witnessed by the Deputy Minister of Human Rights who stated that he would forward the community's concerns and coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies overseeing the PSN program emphasized that the movement to reject PSN would continue to grow unless the government met their demands Tampak para masyarakat adat dari berbagai daerah menolak Proyek Strategi Nasional di acara Konsolidasi Solidaritas Merauke di Merauke Lebih dari 250 orang dari perwakilan NGO dan masyarakat adat dari berbagai daerah berkumpul di Merauke pada 11-14 Maret lalu Dalam acara tersebut mereka membuat Deklarasi Solidaritas Merauke Menolak Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) Mereka menuntut Presiden Prabowo Subianto untuk segera menghentikan PSN yang bermasalah di berbagai daerah Merauke yang menjadi tuan rumah konsolidasi tersebut saat ini sedang menghadapi ekspansi PSN berupa pembukaan lahan seluas 2 juta hektare Warga yang hadir merupakan masyarakat terdampak proyek food estate di Sumatera Utara Kemudian masyarakat terdampak PSN proyek Rempang Eco City di Kepulauan Riau dan proyek Ibu Kota Negara (IKN) Nusantara di Kalimantan Timur Juga ada masyarakat korban PSN proyek geothermal Poco Leok di Nusa Tenggara Timur dan proyek industri ekstraktif hutan tanaman energi dan bioenergi di Jambi Kemudian masyarakat korban PSN di Fakfak dan Teluk Bintuni serta ekspansi perkebunan sawit di seluruh tanah Papua.  Ketua Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia (Komnas HAM) Atnike Sigiro yang hadir dalam deklarasi mengatakan sepanjang 2020-2023 lembaganya menerima 114 kasus aduan terkait PSN Ia menyebutkan Komnas HAM juga telah menyampaikan sejumlah rekomendasi kepada kementerian dan lembaga terkait dugaan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di proyek PSN.  Deklarasi tersebut juga disaksikan oleh Wakil Menteri Hak Asasi Manusia Mugiyanto Sipin Dia mengatakan akan meneruskan masukan dari masyarakat sekaligus akan berkoordinasi dengan kementerian dan lembaga yang terkait program PSN gerakan menolak PSN akan terus bergulir dan membesar selama pemerintah tidak memenuhi tuntutan mereka Flooding continued to submerge parts of Merauke with knee-deep water covering Biak Street in Mandala Subdistrict The flood began in the early hours of Saturday after heavy rain hit the area around 1:00 a.m Many residents were unable to sleep as floodwaters entered their homes forcing them to rescue personal belongings and household items The flooding is believed to be linked to ongoing environmental degradation in Merauke Large areas of forest have been damaged or converted for other land uses A government project aimed at opening up two million hectares of new land has sparked further concern among locals who fear it could accelerate deforestation Environmental damage is seen as a major factor increasing the risk of flooding in the region Tampak banjir setinggi lutut orang dewasa merendam Jalan Biak Banjir terjadi pada Sabtu dini hari saat hujan deras mengguyur Merauke pada pukul 01.00 WIT Banjir yang terjadi pada dini hari tersebut membuat sebagian warga tidak bisa tidur air banjir masuk ke dalam rumah Warga terpaksa harus menyelamatkan barang mereka Banjir di Merauke diduga terjadi akibat kerusakan lingkungan di Merauke Saat ini banyak hutan rusak dan beralih fungsi menjadi lahan.  Proyek pemerintah untuk pembukaan lahan baru seluas 2 juta hektare semakin membuat warga khawatir hutan di Merauke semakin rusak Rusaknya hutan dan lingkungan membuat Merauke semakin terancam banjir The flood began when heavy rain poured over Merauke on Friday night The continuous rainfall throughout the night caused water levels to rise The flooding has made it difficult for residents to carry out their daily activities Banjir Merauke mulai terjadi saat hujan deras mengguyur Merauke pada Jumat malam Hujan yang turun sepanjang malam menyebabkan air naik hingga masuk ke dalam rumah warga Banjir menyebabkan warga kesulitan untuk beraktivitas The condition of the swamp next to the Eco Defender office on Jalan Raya Mandala Spadem this condition has persisted for a long time and continues to this day often search for fish and snails in the swamp Residents hope for efforts to clean and preserve the swamp to prevent health risks and protect the ecosystem Kondisi rawa di samping kantor Eco Defender di Jalan Raya Mandala Spadem Gang Mandala 3 Menurut warga setempat kondisi ini telah berlangsung lama dan terus berlanjut hingga saat ini sering mencari ikan dan keong di rawa tersebut Warga mengharapkan adanya upaya untuk membersihkan dan menjaga kelestarian rawa agar tidak membahayakan kesehatan dan ekosistem The evening atmosphere at the Libra Monument area in the Brawijaya Circle The Libra Monument is one of the icons of Merauke Regency It was built in 2012 and officially inaugurated a year later including a miniature globe and the number 1902 displayed on the monument located at the intersection of Brawijaya Street symbolizes the year when the Marind tribe began interacting with the outside world These ornaments represent the spirit of the Merauke community in striving for recognition on the international stage The people of Merauke often enjoy the evening scenery around the monument Suasana sore di kawasan Tugu Libra di Lingkaran Brawijaya Tugu Libra adalah salah satu ikon Kabupaten Merauke Tugu tersebut dibangun pada 2012 yang selanjutnya diresmikan pada satu tahun kemudian.  Tugu yang memiliki tinggi sekitar 18 meter itu memiliki ornamen berupa miniatur bola dunia dan angka 1902 Angka yang terdapat pada tugu yang berada di persimpangan Jalan Brawijaya dan Jalan TMP Trikora itu melambangkan tahun di mana masyarakat Suku Marind mulai berinteraksi dengan dunia luar.  Ornamen tersebut adalah simbol dari semangat masyarakat Merauke untuk berjuang dan terkenal di dunia internasional Masyarakat Merauke kerap menikmati pemandangan sore di sekitar tugu tersebut The South Papua Province PKK Mobilization Team in collaboration with the Provincial Department of Environment and Land Affairs; Kodim 1707 Merauke; EcoDefender Merauke; Generasi Pesona Indonesia (GENPI); and Tourism Ambassadors organized a tree-planting event at Payum Beach on Tuesday The event was attended by approximately 60 participants This event was held to commemorate the 53rd PKK Movement Anniversary under the national theme "Bergerak Bersama PKK mewujudkan Asta Cita menuju Indonesia Emas (Moving Together with PKK to Realize Asta Cita Towards Golden Indonesia)" The objectives were to raise public awareness about the importance of environmental conservation and reforestation support government programs in mitigating climate change strengthen collaboration among stakeholders and contribute to the sustainability of Payum Beach supplementary food assistance was provided for children and the local community Tim Penggerak PKK Provinsi Papua Selatan bekerja sama dengan Dinas Lingkungan Hidup,  Kehutanan dan Pertanahan Provinsi Papua Selatan; Kodim 1707 Merauke; EcoDefender Merauke; Generasi Pesona Indonesia (GENPI); dan Putra Putri Pariwisata mengadakan kegiatan penanaman pohon di Pantai Payum pada Selasa Kegiatan ini diikuti sekitar 60 orang dan menanam 100 bibit pohon Kegiatan ini diadakan dalam rangka memperingati HKG PKK ke-53 dengan tema nasional "Bergerak Bersama PKK mewujudkan Asta Cita menuju Indonesia Emas" Tujuannya adalah untuk meningkatkan kesadaran masyarakat tentang pentingnya pelestarian lingkungan dan penghijauan mendukung program pemerintah dalam mengurangi dampak perubahan iklim dan memberikan kontribusi bagi keberlanjutan Pantai Payum Jenis pohon yang ditanam seperti kelengkeng yang bibitnya disumbangkan oleh berbagai pihak dilakukan pemberian pemberian makanan tambahan bagi anak-anak dan masyarakat sekitar Floodwaters were seen entering a resident's home in Merauke Regency Flooding has affected Merauke since Friday night The disaster has also disrupted daily activities The flooding in Merauke is suspected to be caused by environmental damage Large areas of forest have been destroyed and converted into land for other uses the government’s ongoing project to clear 2 million hectares of land has had a significant environmental impact The destruction of forests and ecosystems has made Merauke increasingly vulnerable to flooding during the rainy season The government is urged to halt all projects that contribute to forest and environmental destruction in Merauke even more severe flooding could devastate the region in the future Tampak air banjir masuk ke rumah salah satu warga di Kabupaten Merauke Hingga Sabtu dini hari banjir tidak kunjung surut Bahkan ketinggian permukaan air terus meningkat hingga masuk ke dalam rumah warga.  warga harus menyelamatkan barang-barang mereka Banjir juga menyebabkan aktivitas warga terganggu Saat ini banyak hutan rusak dan beralih fungsi menjadi lahan Pemerintah juga sedang melakukan pembukaan lahan 2 juta hektare yang berdampak besar pada lingkungan Rusaknya hutan dan lingkungan membuat Merauke rentan dilanda banjir saat musim hujan Pemerintah diharapkan menghentikan semua proyek yang bisa merusak hutan dan lingkungan di Merauke bencana banjir yang lebih besar akan melanda Merauke Representatives of communities affected by National Strategic Projects (PSN) from various regions across Indonesia delivered the Solidarity Merauke Declaration rejecting PSN on March 14 Their opposition targeted PSN developments in Merauke “We demand a total halt to National Strategic Projects (PSN) and other so-called national interest projects that clearly sacrifice the people State-corporate criminals must return all stolen wealth to the people and immediately restore public health and living spaces in all regions harmed in the name of national interest,” stated the declaration read by representatives in Merauke The declaration was the result of the Merauke Solidarity Consolidation meeting more than 250 Indigenous people and local communities impacted by PSN along with various civil society organizations Participants included communities affected by the food estate project in North Sumatra representatives from communities impacted by the Rempang Eco City project in Riau Islands the Nusantara new capital city (IKN) project in East Kalimantan the geothermal project in Poco Leok (East Nusa Tenggara) and the energy and bioenergy plantation industry in Jambi were present Also in attendance were victims of PSN projects in Fakfak and Teluk Bintuni (West Papua) and those affected by palm oil plantation expansion across Papua is currently facing PSN expansion involving the clearing of two million hectares of land originally initiated under President Joko Widodo is now being continued by President Prabowo Subianto The large-scale deforestation threatens both Indigenous communities and the biodiversity of Papua’s forests The event was attended by the Chairperson of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) Komnas HAM had received 114 complaints related to PSN She noted that Komnas HAM had also submitted several recommendations to ministries and government agencies regarding alleged human rights violations in PSN projects who pledged to convey the concerns of the affected communities and coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies overseeing PSN programs emphasized that the movement to oppose PSN would continue to grow unless the government met their demands PSN has been implemented in various regions across Indonesia since 2016 leading to numerous problems as Indigenous communities have been displaced from their ancestral lands PSN projects have caused large-scale deforestation and environmental degradation A report from Komnas HAM highlights that PSN projects have resulted in various human rights violations bypassing numerous legal norms and regulations ultimately restricting and infringing upon human rights The implementation of PSN has also been carried out without proper public involvement The repressive approach taken in disputed PSN areas has only added to Indonesia’s record of human rights violations According to the Consortium for Agrarian Reform (KPA) PSN-related land seizures led to the displacement of 103,000 female heads of households from their sources of livelihood The destruction of water sources and loss of traditional food sources such as sago and other proteins from rivers and seas have left Indigenous communities struggling to survive Deklarasi Masyarakat Menolak PSN Berkumandang dari Merauke Sejumlah perwakilan masyarakat korban Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) dari berbagai daerah di Indonesia membacakan deklarasi Solidaritas Merauke menolak PSN pada 14 Maret 2025 Penolakan tersebut ditujukan kepada PSN yang ada di Merauke “Kami menuntut penghentian total Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) serta proyek-proyek atas nama kepentingan nasional lainnya yang jelas-jelas mengorbankan rakyat Pelaku kejahatan-negara-korporasi wajib mengembalikan semua kekayaan rakyat yang dicuri dan segera memulihkan kesehatan dan ruang hidup rakyat di seluruh wilayah yang dikorbankan atas nama kepentingan nasional,” demikian petikan deklarasi yang dibacakan perwakilan rakyat dalam pertemuan di Merauke Deklarasi tersebut adalah hasil pertemuan “Konsolidasi Solidaritas Merauke” yang berlangsung pada 11-14 Maret 2025 di Kota Merauke lebih dari 250 masyarakat adat dan masyarakat lokal terdampak PSN serta pelbagai organisasi masyarakat sipil berkumpul untuk bersolidaritas menolak PSN.  Proyek tersebut adalah warisan Presiden Joko Widodo yang kini diteruskan oleh Presiden Prabowo Subianto Pembukaan lahan secara masif itu berdampak luas terhadap masyarakat adat sekaligus mengancam kelestarian hutan Papua gerakan menolak PSN akan terus bergulir dan membesar selama pemerintah tidak memenuhi tuntutan mereka.  PSN mulai dijalankan di berbagai daerah di Indonesia sejak 2016 Sejak saat itu berbagai persoalan muncul karena proyek ini menyebabkan masyarakat adat terusir dari tanah ulayat mereka PSN juga menyebabkan kerusakan hutan dan lingkungan secara masif Laporan Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia (Komnas HAM) menyebutkan PSN menimbulkan pelbagai bentuk pelanggaran hak asasi manusia PSN juga telah menerabas banyak norma dan ketentuan perundang-undangan hingga berimbas pada penghalangan dan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia Pelaksanaan PSN juga dilakukan tanpa pelibatan rakyat yang pada akhirnya memicu konflik agraria Pendekatan represif di wilayah PSN yang berkonflik terus menambah catatan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Indonesia.  Konsorsium Pembaruan Agraria (KPA) mencatat sebanyak 103 ribu ibu rumah tangga kehilangan sumber penghidupan akibat perampasan tanah oleh proyek PSN sepanjang 2020-2024 ikan dan berbagai sumber protein di sungai dan laut membuat masyarakat adat kehilangan mata pencaharian A number of Indigenous community members from various regions in Papua participated in a journalism training session at the Petrus Vertenten Center The participants received journalism training from Tempo Witness over several days and create news reports in both photo and video formats The purpose of the training was to equip the people of Merauke with the skills to report on issues affecting their communities Indigenous communities in Merauke are facing several challenges one of which is the National Strategic Project (PSN) involving the clearing of millions of hectares of forest for plantation development Indigenous communities in Merauke fear that this project will lead to environmental destruction Their livelihoods have long depended on nature making any environmental damage a serious threat to their way of life Sejumlah anggota masyarakat adat dari beberapa daerah di Papua mengikuti pelatihan jurnalistik di Petrus Vertenten Center Para peserta mendapat pelatihan jurnalistik dari Tempo Witness selama beberapa hari Pelatihan tersebut meliputi bagaimana mencari informasi hingga cara membuat berita foto maupun video Tujuan pelatihan tersebut supaya masyarakat Merauke memiliki kemampuan untuk melaporkan segala persoalan yang ada di komunitas mereka Saat ini ada sejumlah persoalan yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat adat di Merauke Salah satunya adalah persoalan proyek strategis nasional (PSN) berupa pembukaan jutaan hektare hutan untuk perkebunan Masyarakat adat Merauke khawatir proyek tersebut akan merusak hutan dan lingkungan mereka Selama ini masyarakat adat di Merauke menggantungkan kehidupan mereka kepada alam Sehingga kerusakan alam akan berdampak besar pada hidup mereka made a solemn pledge to lead his organization in assisting the people of South Papua in their pursuit of justice He delivered this promise alongside the Director of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) during the Declaration of the Establishment of LBH Papua Merauke on March 13 Indigenous representatives had entrusted a spear who then passed them on to John Teddy Wakum nine Indigenous leaders from South Papua bore witness to the establishment of LBH Papua Merauke The handover of these symbolic weapons represented the trust of South Papua’s Indigenous communities in LBH Papua Merauke to lead them in their struggle for justice The Indigenous groups present included representatives from the Auwyu The declaration of LBH Papua Merauke was part of the Merauke Solidarity Consolidation event at the Petrus Vertenten MSC Center on Jalan Raya Cigombong Approximately 300 representatives from NGOs and Indigenous communities affected by the National Strategic Project (PSN) attended The PSN-affected community representatives came from Jambi They shared their experiences as PSN victims emphasizing how government projects in their regions had led to displacement and environmental destruction Several civil society organizations participated in the event the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) Direktur LBH Papua Merauke John Teddy Wakum mengucapkan janji bahwa dia akan memimpin lembaganya untuk membantu masyarakat Papua Selatan memperoleh keadilan Janji tersebut disampaikan didampingi oleh Direktur Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI) Muhamad Isnur dan Direktur LBH Jayapura Emanuel Gobay di acara Deklarasi Berdirinya LBH Papua Merauke pada 13 Maret 2025.  Sebelumnya perwakilan masyarakat adat menyerahkan tombak Tombak dan panah tersebut selanjutnya diserahkan ke John Teddy Wakum sebanyak 9 tokoh adat Papua Selatan menjadi saksi berdirinya LBH Papua Merauke tersebut dan panah tersebut adalah simbol kepercayaan masyarakat adat di Papua Selatan kepada LBH Papua Merauke untuk memimpin mereka menuntut keadilan Masyarakat adat yang hadir antara lain dari perwakilan Suku Auwyu Deklarasi berdirinya LBH Papua Merauke itu merupakan salah satu rangkaian acara Konsolidasi Solidaritas Merauke yang diadakan pada 11-14 Maret Acara tersebut diadakan di Petrus Vertenten MSC center Sekitar 300 orang perwakilan dari NGO dan masyarakat adat korban PSN dari seluruh Indonesia hadir Perwakilan masyarakat korban PSN berasal dari Jambi Mereka berbagi cerita mengenai kondisi mereka yang menjadi korban PSN Proyek pemerintah di daerah mereka justru menyebabkan masyarakat tergusur dan merusak lingkungan Sejumlah organisasi masyarakat sipil yang ikut serta dalam kegiatan tersebut antara lain Bentala Pusaka Dewi Elvia Muthiariny TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is developing a new food estate program in Merauke listed as a national strategic project (PSN) encompasses a vast area of 2.29 million hectares and the establishment of sugar and bioethanol factories The government's primary objective is to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2027 and meet the growing demand for sugar and bioethanol a year later To run this initiative, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appointed Bahlil Lahadalia as the Chairman of the Sugar Self-Sufficiency and Bioethanol Acceleration Task Force in Merauke Bahlil and the government subsequently partnered with multiple companies to develop the sugarcane project Corporate Involvement in the Sugarcane Project A report by Tempo Newspaper revealed that ten companies are involved in the food self-sufficiency project These companies are managing the initial phase of the sugarcane project encompassing 637,429 hectares of land in cluster 3 designated for sugarcane plantations PT Global Papua Abadi: Managing a concession area of 30,777 hectares PT Andalan Manis Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 60,786 hectares PT Semesta Gula Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 66,056 hectares PT Dutamas Resources International: Managing a concession area of 60,879 hectares PT Borneo Citra Persada: Managing a concession area of 50,772 hectares PT Global Papua Makmur: Managing a concession area of 60,364 hectares PT Murni Nusantara Mandiri: Managing a concession area of 52,395 hectares PT Berkat Tebu Sejahtera: Managing a concession area of 60,342 hectares PT Agrindo Gula Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 60,679 hectares PT Sejahtera Gula Nusantara: Managing a concession area of 60,606 hectares Allegations of First Resources Affiliation President Jokowi attended the inaugural sugarcane planting event within the PT Global Papua Abadi concession in Sermayam Indah Village the founder of the palm oil corporation First Resources Director of the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation suspected that several companies involved in the sugarcane project are affiliated with First Resources “We believe they are affiliated with First Resources especially given the presence of Martias Fangiono and his daughter Wirastuty Fangiono at the first sugarcane planting event with President Jokowi,” Franky said He also speculated that First Resources not only secured sugarcane and bioethanol factory concessions through PT Global Papua Abadi but also through four other companies the company affirmed that they have no connections with the corporations developing sugarcane plantations in Merauke “We would like to clarify that the names mentioned in your email are not connected to First Resources,” they wrote on September 20, 2024. First Resources further explained that their primary operations are in the palm oil sector Editor's Choice: The Problem with Our Food Estate Program Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News Halal Snack Polemic: Tests by MUI Contradict BPJPH, BPOM Findings on Pork Content Deadly Bus Accident Leaves 12 Dead in Indonesia, Police: Brake Failure Bappenas, FAO Host Training Workshop to Enhance Governance in Indonesia's Agrifood Systems Transformation Hasan Nasbi Cancels Resignation as Indonesia's PCO Head: 'I Am Loyal to the President' Vasectomy for Social Assistance? 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Discover the 10 Best Countries for Job Opportunities Abroad All 133 Cardinal Electors Arrive in Rome Ahead of Papal Conclave Lenovo Set to Launch ThinkPad Aura Edition Series for Professionals in Indonesia World Leaders Condemn Israel's Plan to 'Conquer' Gaza One of the representatives of the indigenous community from Merauke conveyed a protest before the Deputy Minister of Human Rights Mugiyanto Sipin He stated that the government has so far seemed reluctant to take action against human rights violations in Merauke the National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke has caused suffering for the indigenous community The protest was delivered during the Merauke Solidarity Consolidation event held at the Petrus Vertenten MSC Center on Jalan Raya Cigombong Mugiyanto stated that he would forward the community's input and coordinate with the relevant ministries and agencies involved in the PSN program The Merauke Solidarity Consolidation event was attended by more than 250 people including representatives from NGOs and indigenous communities affected by PSN across Indonesia The event also included representatives from communities affected by the food estate project in North Sumatra communities affected by the PSN Rempang Eco City project in the Riau Islands and the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) project in East Kalimantan were also present Other attendees included victims of the PSN geothermal project in Poco Leok and the extractive industry projects for energy plantations and bioenergy in Jambi Communities affected by PSN in Fakfak and Bintuni Bay in West Papua as well as those impacted by palm oil plantation expansion across Papua is currently facing PSN expansion involving the clearing of 2 million hectares of land The large-scale land clearing has had a significant impact on indigenous communities and poses a threat to the sustainability of Papua's forests PSN has been implemented in various regions of Indonesia since 2016 numerous issues have arisen as the project has displaced indigenous communities from their customary lands PSN has caused extensive environmental and forest degradation A report by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) states that PSN has led to various forms of human rights violations The project has also bypassed numerous legal norms and regulations resulting in the obstruction and violation of human rights The implementation of PSN has been carried out without involving local communities The repressive approach in PSN conflict areas has further added to the record of human rights violations in Indonesia Warga Merauke Protes ke Wakil Menteri Hak Asasi Manusia Salah satu perwakilan masyarakat adat dari Merauke menyampaikan protes di hadapan Wakil Menteri Hak Asasi Manusia Mugiyanto Sipin pada 14 Maret 2025 Dia mengatakan bahwa selama ini pemerintah terkesan enggan melakukan upaya penindakan terhadap pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Merauke Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) yang di Merauke menyebabkan masyarakat adat menderita.  Protes tersebut disampaikan di sela acara Konsolidasi Solidaritas Merauke yang diadakan di Petrus Vertenten MSC center Mugiyanto mengatakan akan meneruskan masukan dari masyarakat sekaligus akan berkoordinasi dengan kementerian dan lembaga yang terkait program PSN Acara Konsolidasi Solidaritas Merauke dihadiri lebih dari 250 orang dari perwakilan NGO dan masyarakat adat korban PSN dari seluruh Indonesia Sedangkan perwakilan masyarakat yang hadir di acara tersebut adalah masyarakat terdampak proyek food estate di Sumatera Utara Kemudian masyarakat terdampak PSN proyek Rempang Eco City di Kepulauan Riau dan proyek Ibu Kota Negara (IKN) Nusantara di Kalimantan Timur.  Pendekatan represif di wilayah PSN yang berkonflik terus menambah catatan pelanggaran hak asasi manusia di Indonesia Menurut keterangan Ketua Forum Masyarakat adat Malind dan Kondodigun di Merauke suasana teror dan intimidasi mulai ia rasakan pasca 27 Agustus 2024 Waktu itu ia mengunjungi masyarakat di beberapa kampung untuk memastikan apakah perusahaan telah melakukan sosialisasi di kampung-kampung dan mengambil sampel tanah yang akan dijadikan tempat PSN Simon Balagaize menjelaskan waktu itu mereka melakukan pertemuan di Distrik Ilwayab yang dihadiri oleh marga-marga dan ketua-ketua adat Di dalam pertemuan tersebut mereka semua sepakat menolak PSN Balagaize menyampaikan mereka kembali menggelar pertemuan dengan mengundang seluruh tokoh-tokoh masyarakat adat Mappi dan Asmat untuk juga duduk berbicara terkait PSN menurut Balagaize mereka semua sepakat tolak PSN “Teman-teman dari suku Awyu kan pernah merasakan hal seperti ini sebelumnya to di tempat mereka dimana hutan mereka dibabat habis sehingga mereka sangat mendukung kami bersama menolak PSN yang beroperasi dua juta hektare,” katanya Selang beberapa hari setelah pertemuan itu Di sana ia mendapat informasi bahwa dirinya dicari oleh enam orang yang diduga anggota TNI Mereka bertanya kepada masyarakat di sekitar di Distrik Ilwayab mengenai keberadaannya “Waktu itu saya ditelpon oleh [seorang] bapak dan mengatakan kepada saya ‘anak ada TNI yang cari anak disini’ begitu untuk apa mereka cari saya?’ begitu saya respon bapak itu,” ujarnya menirukan percakapan dirinya dengan warga kampung “Seandainya saya ada disitu baru enam anggota TNI itu datang Dan bagi saya ini adalah teror psikologis untuk menakut-nakuti kita yang menolak kehadiran PSN” Namun hal itu tak membuat Balagaize berhenti Ia bertemu dengan Mama-mama dari beberapa distrik yang sudah resah dengan kehadiran perusahan PT Jhonlin Group yang mengerjakan PSN dengan membongkar hutan yang besar tanpa melalui pertemuan atau ijin dari masyarakat adat Distrik Nguti dan Distrik Jagebob semua tolak [PSN] Bahkan saya ketemu Mama-mama dan masyarakat disitu semua tolak PSN karena merasa perusahan itu mengancam keberlangsungan hidup masyarakat adat,” ujarnya Terkait meningkatnya suasana teror terhadap warga masyarakat adat anggota Komisi Keadilan dan Perdamaian Keuskupan Agung Merauke juga mengungkapkan adanya orang-orang yang diduga berperan intelejen memantau beberapa pertemuan dan diskusi dengan masyarakat adat di Pantai Merauke Kampung Payum terkait PSN “Jadi kita tidak bisa bicara bebas juga walaupun bicara dalam arti menyampaikan pendapat atau keluhan-keluhan kami terkait tanah kami yang digusur dan dibabat itu tetap intel selalu hadir Kehadiran intel itu saja membuat orang hidupnya sudah tidak bebas tentang langkah-langkah yang perlu kami lakukan untuk menanggapi PSN ini kok kami dimata-matai terus,” kata Pastor Pius Menurutnya kehadiran pihak-pihak yang memantau seperti intelijen itu masih wajar saat masyarakat adat melakukan unjuk rasa di DPR atau di Kantor Bupati “Tapi bagi saya yang tidak wajar adalah ketika masyarakat adat berkumpul ada intel Saya melihat ini keterlaluan sekali,” katanya mengatakan bahwa keponakannya mengalami intimidasi yang diduga dilakukan prajurit TNI di Dusun Ongabuk intimidasi itu terjadi saat keponakannya meminta perusahaan tidak memasuki wilayah sakral masyarakat adat Malind Saat itu ia mendengar bunyi eskavator sehingga keponakannya pergi menuju aktivitas eskavator tersebut di wilayah ulayatnya Ketika operator eskavator melihat anak itu Kemudian datang lima orang yang diduga anggota TNI bersenjata menghampiri dan mengancamnya kalau kamu menghalangi pekerjaan ini kami tembak dan kasih hancur ko pu kepala begitu Karena keponakan saya menghalangi supaya ekskavator tidak menerobos wilayah sakral Jadi dia bilang kalau bapak dorang mau tembak saya saya mati di daerah saya dan kampung saya kok,” kata Moyuwend kepada Jubi melalui panggilan aplikasi Moyuwend menuturkan bahwa lima orang yang diduga anggota TNI itu kemudian bertanya tempat tinggalnya lalu mereka ikut pergi bersama-sama ke dusunnya dan bertemu dengan keluarga Keponakan Moyuwend bahkan menunjukkan orang tuanya dan memperkenalkan mereka kepada orang-orang tersebut lanjut Moyuwend sudah menjelaskan kepada kelima orang yang diduga TNI tersebut bahwa di tempat aktivitas eskavator itu adalah hutan sakral yang tidak boleh digusur tapi anggota ini tidak percaya dan mau menggusur terus,” kata Moyuwend Keluarga bahkan menyampaikan kepada kelima orang tersebut bahwa bapak mereka pernah menghilang di hutan sakral itu Menurut Moyuwend untuk memastikan kebenaran penjelasan keluarga kelima orang tersebut menghubungi komandan mereka “Dan komandan mereka menyampaikan memang benar tempat itu hutan sakral dan bapak mereka pernah hilang sampai saat ini belum ditemukan jasadnya Akhirnya mereka tidak jadi menggusur hutan sakral itu dan mereka pindah arah penggusurannya,” ujar Moyuwend Moyuwend menambahkan situasi sekarang semakin sulit bagi masyarakat untuk mencari makan Mereka kerap mengalami teror baik secara langsung maupun tidak langsung saat aparat keamanan bertanya-tanya aktivitas mereka Masyarakat merasa bingung bahwa sebelum PSN ini datang kita bebas tapi darimana kalian menetapkan aturan begitu memang kita ini apa orang yang bermasalah sehingga dikasih batas waktu Ariston Moyuwend juga menceritakan pengalaman seorang masyarakat lainnya di Kampung Wania yang mendapat ancaman karena menegur aktivitas orang yang diduga anggota TNI yang mengambil air di sumurnya Warga keberatan karena air sumur tersebut tidak banyak kalian sudah ambil  tanah hutan baru kamu mau ambil lagi air di sumur,” kata Moyuwend menirukan kekesalan warga “Lalu anggota TNI ini tidak terima dengan omelan paman dia pergi lapor kepada teman-teman lalu tiba banyak tentara satu truk besar tiba di tempat dimana bapak itu tinggal mereka datang mengancam dan hampir saja mau menganiaya Menurut Moyuwend saat ini ia mendapatkan informasi dari kampung bahwa sepanjang pinggiran kawasan lahan hutan yang digusur itu sudah dipasangi CCTV sehingga masyarakat tidak bisa masuk atau pun mendekat Pastor Pius Cornelius Manu mengkhawatirkan suasana kehadiran aparat TNI bersenjata di kawasan pembongkaran hutan proyek PSN ini Karena perusahaan yang dibacking oleh kekuatan angkatan bersenjata masa perusahaan kegiatan pertanian dilakukan oleh tentara semua Memang di Indonesia ini tidak ada petani ka?” ujar pastor Menurut pastor Manu permasalahannya juga terletak pada ketiadaan sosialisasi dari kampung ke kampung distrik ke distrik kepada masyarakat bahwa kehadiran perusahaan untuk menjalankan PSN itu akan dibantu oleh angkatan bersenjata TNI “Sehingga ya wajar kalau masyarakat merasa ketakutan tertekan dan merasa diteror secara psikologi Soal mereka bisa mendengar itu program negara ya itu betul tapi masalahnya program negara masa pemerintah daerah saja tidak tahu Menurut Simon Balagaize protes masyarakat menolak PSN memuncak pada 24 September 2024 Saat itu ada kunjungan dari Pj Gubernur Provinsi Papua Selatan bersama Komandan Korem 174  Animti Waninggap Ketua Badan Pengarah Percepatan Pembangunan Otonomi Khusus Papua atau BP3OKP Papua Selatan ke lokasi masyarakat melakukan demonstrasi sembari menerima kedatangan rombongan Pj Gubernur Masyarakat adat dan Mama-mama semua mengenakan pakaian adat dan mengoleskan lumpur putih di bagian muka dan tubuhnya sebagai bagian prosesi adat “Mereka gantungkan sebuah tulisan di leher dengan potongan kardus segi empat yang bertuliskan ‘Kami Tolak Perusahaan Jhonlin Group dan PSN’ sambil melakukan tarian tradisional yaitu tarian Gasi sambil menyambut kedatangan Pj dan rombongannya itu Dan saat itu masyarakat secara serempak menyampaikan penolakan kepada rombongan Pj gubernur itu,” kata Balagaise ada anggota TNI yang datang ke kampungnya menanyakan alasan masyarakat melakukan prosesi adat saat aksi pada 24 September itu “Siapa yang suruh kalian pakai lumpur putih itu Yang suruh kalian tulis tolak Perusahaan itu siapa “Lalu masyarakat balas tidak ada yang menyuruh kami seluruh masyarakat yang protes dan tolak perusahan itu lahir dari kesadaran sendiri bahwa tanah dan hutan mereka lagi dicuri begitu… masuk tidak permisi membuka lahan seperti pencuri ” kata Simon Balagaize menirukan jawaban masyarakat Letkol Inf Jhony Nofriady SE M Han membantah bawah ada anggota prajurit mencari warga yang melakukan protes atas PSN Sawah Kepada Jubi ia mengatakan prajurit TNI tidak melakukan intimidasi kepada warga Jhony mengatakan kehadiran prajurit TNI itu untuk mendukung ketahanan pangan demi kesejahteraan masyarakat Ia mengatakan prajurit TNI tidak akan melakukan kekerasan terhadap masyarakat “TNI ada di sana untuk mendukung program nasional dan untuk menyejahterakan masyarakat di sana Kami [TNI juga] kasih bibit sayuran [buat masyarakat] dan hasilnya nanti di beli oleh kami,” ujarnya Mayjen Haryanto kepada Jubi menyatakan jika benar ada prajurit TNI yang melakukan kekerasan terhadap warga prajurit TNI itu akan diproses secara hukum Ia menyatakan komandan lapangan prajurit TNI juga akan bertanggung jawab jika anak buah mereka terbukti melakukan kekerasan terhadap warga “Apabila memang benar ada kekerasan yang dilakukan personel TNI di lapangan maka komandan lapangan secara berjenjang akan bertanggung jawab Tapi kita jangan sampai diprovokasi oleh orang-orang yang tidak bertanggung jawab dengan menyebarkan berita hoaks untuk keuntungan pribadi sengaja merusak kemajuan dan kedamaian di Tanah Papua dan bertanya langsung kepada sumber yang lebih menguasai,” kata Haryanto kepada Jubi melalui layanan pesan WhasApp Untuk melihat lebih banyak content JUBI TV, click here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Terverifikasi Administrasi dan Faktual oleh Dewan Pers Pemerintah Bakal Buka 3 Juta Hektare Lahan di Merauke SEMARANG, KOMPAS.com - Pemerintah berencana membuka lahan pertanian seluas 3 juta hektare di Merauke Papua Selatan dalam kurun waktu lima sampai tujuh tahun Rencana ini terkait dengan program Swasembada Pangan yang dicanangkan Presiden Prabowo Subianto Hal itu disampaikan Menteri Koordinator Bidang Pangan Zulkifli Hasan atau Zulhas usai memimpin kegiatan Rapat Koordinasi Terbatas Bidang Pangan Provinsi Jateng di Gradhika Bhakti Praja presiden perintahkan menterinya termasuk swasembada energi yang mendasar kita akan buka sawah di Meraukae 2 juta (hektare) berarti hampir 3 juta," ujar Zulhas saat konferensi pers Baca juga: Dukung Swasembada Pangan Nasional, Pemprov Riau Rancang Program Optimalisasi Produksi Padi Dia menilai pembukaan lahan pertanian di Papua itu tidak dapat dilakukan dalam sekejap Lalu untuk di Jawa Tengah dia menyebut tidak akan ada pembukaan lahan baru tapi berfokus untuk mengoptimakan lahan pertanian yang ada Sementara larangan impor hasil tani akan diberlakukan mulai 2025 untuk mendorong serapan hasil tani milik petani lokal "(Buka lahan) itu nanti perlu waktu lebih lama 5 dia mendorong optimalisasi saluran irigasi dan penyaluran pupuk yang efisien Lalu meningkatkan jumlah dan kemapuan penyuluh tani Baca juga: Swasembada Pangan, Pemerintah Siapkan Rp 22 T untuk Irigasi Pertanian keempat beli (hasil tani) dengan harga bagus," tutur dia Lebih lanjut, dia optimistis mampu mewujudkan tantangan Prabowo untuk bebas impor hasil tani. Lalu mendorong swasembada pangan dengan hasil produksi lokal presiden perintahkan menterinya semangat dulu baru nanti kalau nggak bisa baru," kata dia Kompas Cyber Media (Kompas Gramedia Digital Group) Baca juga: '+json_baca_juga.items[i].title+' Irsyan Hasyim (Kontributor) TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indigenous people from Merauke voiced their rejection of the National Strategic Project (PSN) food estate in their region staging a protest at the Defense Ministry office on Wednesday “The project is being implemented brutally without any prior consultation or agreement with the indigenous communities,” stated Pastor Pius Manu a religious figure and customary land owner during a press conference in Jakarta following the protest The Merauke Food Estate or the Merauke Food and Energy Development Area aims to develop a vast agricultural area spanning over 2 million hectares in South Papua involves a new rice field and other crop projects managed by the Ministry of Defense focuses on the development of sugar cane plantations and bioethanol production over 500,000 hectares and is supported by the Sugar and Bioethanol Self-Reliance Task Force Pastor Pius explained that the food estate encompasses five clusters spread across 13 districts within the indigenous communities of Malind Over 50,000 indigenous inhabitants reside in 40 villages within and around the project site heavy machinery has invaded customary lands These activities are escorted by security forces while customary signs prohibiting such actions are disregarded “We are hurt and saddened by the destruction of our customary lands and forests and the sacred place of Alipinek that we have protected for generations,” lamented Yasinta Gebze a representative of the affected Indigenous community from Wobikel Village Dozens of demonstrators from the Civil Society Coalition and affected indigenous communities staged a protest at the Monas area in Jakarta The masses demanded the Indonesian President and Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries to immediately halt the Merauke Food Estate project In Jagebob and Senayu Districts, where sugar cane plantations are planned, the Global Papua Abadi (GPA) Group consortium has been accused of neglecting sustainable practices and disregarding the rights of indigenous communities The company has allegedly used security forces to pressure the community offering compensation in exchange for their lands emphasized that the community would not sell their customary lands “The forests and settlements owned by the clans are not extensive; we want to manage them ourselves for our livelihoods and food sources for generations to come.” Editor's Choice: Companies Developing Jokowi's Food Estate Project in Merauke Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News The Customary Forest Recognition Sweetener Indonesia's Food Self-Sufficiency Program Harms the Environment A Deep Breath to Opposing Problematic Projects Celios: IHSG Tumbles as Public Doubts Prabowo's Economic Policies AMAN Reports 110 Indigenous Land Conflicts in Early 2025 Recurring Conflict in National Strategic Projects Celios: Central Govt's Dominant Role in Food Estate PSN Violates Papua's Special Autonomy Airlangga Says Tourism Special Economic Zones (KEKs) Still Lacking Investors Disadvantages of National Strategic Projects The atmosphere of the journalism training organized by Tempo Witness took place at the Eco Defender office on Jalan Raya Mandala Muli The training was attended by 21 activists from various civil society organizations and indigenous communities in Merauke The sessions were conducted by two Tempo Witness trainers The journalism training aimed to equip activists and indigenous communities in Merauke with the skills to report on issues in their environment Many environmental and indigenous community issues in Merauke remain unreported in mainstream media Participants gained various insights into journalism They were also trained in writing news reports in written participants practiced reporting and writing news on various issues in Merauke Topics discussed included waste management participants will become citizen journalists for Tempo Witness reporting on issues in their communities for publication on the Tempo Witness application Pelatihan Jurnalisme Warga Tempo Witness di Merauke Suasana pelatihan jurnalistik yang diadakan oleh Tempo Witness di kantor Eco Defender di Jalan Raya Mandala Muli Pelatihan tersebut dihadiri oleh 21 aktivis dari berbagai lembaga masyarakat sipil dan masyarakat adat di Merauke Materi pelatihan disampaikan oleh dua trainer Tempo Witness yaitu Agung Sedayu dan Yosep Suprayogi Pelatihan jurnalistik tersebut bertujuan supaya para aktivis dan masyarakat adat di Merauke bisa melaporkan berbagai persoalan yang ada di lingkungan mereka selama ini banyak persoalan lingkungan dan masyarakat adat di Merauke yang tidak diberitakan di media arus utama Para peserta mendapat berbagai pengetahuan tentang kejurnalistikan Peserta pelatihan juga dilatih membuat berita dalam format laporan tulis para peserta juga diajak untuk praktik liputan dan penulisan berita mengenai berbagai isu yang ada di Merauke Ada berbagai isu yang menjadi topik pembahasan para peserta pelatihan akan menjadi jurnalis warga Tempo Witness Mereka akan melaporkan berbagai persoalan di komunitas mereka untuk dipublikasikan di aplikasi Tempo Witness Nine Indigenous leaders from South Papua stood as witnesses to the establishment of LBH Papua Merauke on March 13 These representatives expressed their hope that LBH Papua Merauke would lead them in their pursuit of justice Indigenous representatives ceremonially handed over spears and arrows to the Director of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) The weapons were then entrusted to John Teddy Wakum The handover of these symbolic weapons represented the trust of South Papua’s Indigenous communities in LBH Papua Merauke to advocate for their rights and justice Among those present were representatives of the Auwyu Tokoh Masyarakat Adat Mendukung Berdirinya LBH Papua Merauke Tampak sembilan tokoh masyarakat adat Papua Selatan menjadi saksi berdirinya LBH Papua Merauke pada 13 Maret 2025 Para perwakilan masyarakat adat tersebut berharap LBH Papua Merauke bisa menjadi pemimpin mereka dalam menuntut keadilan.  Dalam acara tersebut perwakilan masyarakat adat menyerahkan tombak dan panah kepada Direktur Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI) Muhamad Isnur dan Direktur LBH Jayapura Emanuel Gobay di acara deklarasi berdirinya LBH Papua Merauke pada 13 Maret 2025 Tombak dan panah tersebut selanjutnya diserahkan ke Direktur LBH Papua Merauke John Teddy Wakum Tempo The food estate projects in Merauke are at risk of failure There are suspicions about the way the projects are shared out THE government’s plan to establish a food estate in Merauke Regency, South Papua is like hearing an old song being played yet again There are many doubts about the chance of success of the plan to create rice fields and sugarcane plantations on swamps and peatlands and it may even damage the natural environment President Joko Widodo and president-elect Prabowo Subianto are accelerating the food estate programs in Merauke The government claims that the strategic national project will bring about self-sufficiency in rice by 2027 as well as meeting the demand for sugar and bioethanol a year later It is undeniable that Indonesia needs food stocks to head off a future food crisis The area of land under cultivation continues to decline while dependence on imports and poor farming productivity could lead to shortages of food supplies in markets Long-term food security needs careful planning But the planning of the Merauke megaproject was anything but careful One key aspect relates to the necessity to have a business model that ensures the program is sustainable and does not damage the environment the projects to establish rice fields and sugarcane plantations are proceeding separately Jokowi launched the 1.11-million-hectare sugarcane plantation and bioethanol industry program in south Merauke the then Investment Minister and Coordinator of the Investment Coordinating Board the government tried to attract investors to implement the program through Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman accelerated the 1.18-million-hectare rice field program to northern Merauke Isam brought in thousands of excavators with a total cost of Rp4 trillion the first wave of heavy machinery from China arrived in Wanam village Without any clear criteria to select partners, it is easy to suspect that the involvement of Isam in the food estate project is part of the sharing out of the pie in return for political favors. The same is true of the inclusion of members of the consortium in the sugarcane plantations. They are tycoons who supported Jokowi in the first or second periods of his administration The government should learn from the failures during the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate this project failed to achieve the target of self-sufficiency Domestic and foreign investors all pulled out One reason for this is that these investors had to deal with the complexities involving land procurement including issues of customary lands and indigenous rights Demarcation of land often triggered horizontal conflicts poor infrastructure led to soaring production and post-harvest costs Production was low because not all of the region was suitable for rice acidic soil led to increased costs for land management because of the need for copious quantities of fertilizer The clearing of 600 hectares of natural forest for cassava plantations by the Defense Ministry in 2020 triggered the release of 250,000 tons of carbon emissions a strategic environmental study was only conducted after the government had decided on the location this should have been carried out at the start of the project because it relates to carrying the capacity of the environment as well as commodities and land suitable for planting The haphazard way in which the program was drawn up shows the government’s lack of caution in regard to the management of natural resources Finally, Prabowo should not be in a rush to continue this plan. Food self-sufficiency is a long-term aim not a quick fix project for one or two years The repeated failures of many food estate projects readily fuels suspicions that they were intentionally drawn up with the sole aim of providing profits for Jakarta cronies Get daily summary of exclusive and in-depth news in your email Inbox by joining the Newsletter Competing Food Estates in Merauke The Risk of Failing of the Food Estate Claims over Regional Support Oversized Cabinet with Many Concerns Najla Nur Fauziyah Petir Garda Bhwana TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi visited Sermayam Village Jokowi stressed the government's commitment to supporting sustainable initiatives in the fields of agriculture and the environment Jokowi planted the first sugarcane at PT Global Papua Abadi (GPA) He also inspected several of the company’s existing facilities and infrastructure The Sermayam Sugarcane Plantation was a National Strategic Project to support the acceleration of national sugar self-sufficiency and bioethanol as biofuel The plantation managed by PT Global Papua Abadi covers 506 hectares of land with an investment value of Rp53.8 trillion said that the food and energy sector will also be the focus of President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s administration.  Jokowi said sugarcane planting was a strategic step in responding to the global food crisis due to extreme climate change and food sovereignty must be prioritized," said Jokowi The Sermayam Sugarcane Plantation Megaproject will build five sugar factories to process sugar cane GPA built laboratory facilities at the nursery location which supports research and tissue culture to produce sugarcane seeds and functions as a sugarcane research center The Sugarcane Seed Research and Laboratory Area in Sermayan research into the growth and development of sugarcane seed varieties from Australia GPA collaborates with Sugar Research Australia and P3GI (Indonesian Sugar Plantation Research Center) to obtain suitable seeds for development in Merauke Selected seeds are grown and propagated in the main garden in the GPA Plantation area in the Jagebob area which is expected to start operating in 2027.  Editor’s Choice: President Jokowi Praises Papua's Bright Human Capital       Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News Tom Lembong Trial: PT PPI Profits Rp 32 Billion from Trade Ministry's Sugar Import Assignment Tom Lembong Denies Violating Regulations in Importing Sugar Aksi itu dilakukan di Kampus Sains dan Teknologi Jayapura atau USTJ massa yang hadir membawa spanduk dan pamflet yang bertuliskan “Keadilan Iklim Tanpa Oligarki” Koordinator Lapangan atau korlap Stenly Jambojay mengatakan aksi Mimbar Bebas ini bertujuan penolakan Investasi Perusahaan perkebunan Tebu di Kabupaten Merauke. Stenly menyampaikan bahwa, Kehadiran Perkebunan Tebu 2 juta Hektar yang akan mengembangkan perkebunan tebu untuk bahan baku industri gula akan mengancam sejumlah kawasan hutan di wilayah Kabupaten Merauke “Untuk itu sebagai mahasiswa dan mewakili masyarakat adat hanya satu kata lawan,” katanya dalam orasi di Lapangan Kampus USTJ Kota Jayapura Jambojay juga mengatakan terkait perkebunan tebu itu pemerintah tidak menghadirkan masyarakat setempat dan merugikan masyarakat  Banyak yang  kehilangan sistem mata pencaharian mimbar bebas kitorang menolak Proyek 2 Juta Hektar Tebu Di kabupaten Merauke Kepada pemerintah segera implementasi hak-hak masyarakat adat agar diakui negara,” katanya Enis Dapla Mahasiswa Uncen yang juga gabung dalam mimbar bebas itu mengatakan menolak dengan tegas perusahaan tebu yang menghabiskan hutan adat di Kabupaten Merauke Dirinya juga mendesak  pemerintah pusat maupun daerah segera implementasikan  UU  perlindungan  hak-hak masyarakat adat di atas tanahnya “Karena masyarakat setempat susah untuk mencari sistem mata sehari-hari dan juga perusahaan kelapa sawit banyak merugikan masyarakat dan bukan saja di Merauke tapi di sebagian besar Tanah Papua,” katanya Dalam aksi itu mahasiswa Front peduli Papua Selatan membacakan pernyataan sikap Kami mendukung dengan penuh bapak Vincent Kwipalo dan masyarakat adat suku Yeinan suku Kima dan suku dari Kondo sampai Digoel untuk penolak Program Strategis Nasional di wilayah adatnya Kami front mahasiswa peduli Papua Selatan dengan tegas menolak PSN yang menghabiskan 2 juta hektar untuk penanaman tebu dan sawah di Kabupaten Merauke Kami mahasiswa peduli Papua Selatan dengan tegas mengutuk keras dan menolak semua perusahan-perusahaan atau investor-investor asing yang beroperasi di atas tanah adat orang asli Papua dari Sorong sampai Merauke Kami front mahasiswa peduli Papua Selatan meminta kepada negara dalam hal ini KWI dan duta besar vatikan di Indonesia untuk mengganti uskup agung Merauke Mgr M.S.G dengan uskup orang asli Papua di keuskupan agung Merauke JAKARTA — Excavators have begun clearing land in the Indonesian region of Papua in what’s been described as the largest deforestation undertaking in the world A total of 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of forests wetlands and grasslands in Merauke district will be razed to make way for a cluster of giant sugarcane plantations part of the Indonesian government’s efforts to boost domestic sugar production consisting of Indonesian and foreign companies are confirmed to be participating in the 130 trillion rupiah ($8.4 billion) project with roles ranging from developing sugarcane plantations and processing mills At least one of the companies, PT Global Papua Abadi (GPA), has already seeding its concession planting the first seeds in a ceremony on July 23 “I see that the land here is flat and there’s plenty of water. I think this is an opportunity to turn Merauke into Indonesia’s food barn,” the president said at the ceremony Satellite monitoring by technology consultancy TheTreeMap has detected large land clearings inside GPA’s concession since June 2024. Using alerts data from Nusantara Atlas a forest monitoring platform run by TheTreeMap the organization found at least 356 hectares (880 acres) of forest cleared during that time This is contrary to the government’s claims that it will mitigate the environmental impact of the sugarcane project by avoiding forested areas as much as possible Senior officials have also claimed there’s not much natural forest left in Merauke in the first place “There’s no forest in the middle of Merauke,” said the country’s energy minister who’s in charge of a government task force that manages the project TheTreeMap founder David Gaveau said it’s true the ecosystem in southern Merauke but there’s also closed-canopy evergreen forest there Besides the revelation of natural forest being cleared in the sugarcane project area some parts of the project area also appear to fall inside a zone that the government has declared should be protected under a moratorium program introduced in 2011 and made permanent by President Jokowi in 2019 bans the clearing of primary forest and peatland that hasn’t yet been allocated for plantation or logging concessions the Ministry of Environment and Forestry publishes a map that shows which areas are protected by the moratorium an NGO that works with Indigenous peoples in Papua overlaid a map of the sugarcane concessions with the moratorium map and found that 30% of the concessions While the figure might not be accurate since the concession maps used in the analysis are in JPEG format rather than shapefiles the finding still indicates that there’s natural forest left standing in the project area according to Pusaka Foundation director Franky Samperante “Therefore, this project poses environmental risks, particularly in the form of increasing greenhouse gas emissions [from deforestation],” he said The rest of the land that’s been cleared for the sugarcane project is savanna and grasslands of the Trans Fly ecoregion Spanning 2.6 million hectares (6.4 million acres) the Trans Fly ecoregion is one of the most extensive lowlands on the island of New Guinea and home to some of the largest and healthiest wetlands in the Asia-Pacific region More than half of New Guinea’s total bird population is found in the ecoregion including 80 species endemic to the island “Regionally, the Trans-Fly is very rich in bird fauna and no other site in the region compares to it, including Kakadu World Heritage Site [in Australia’s Northern Territory],” UNESCO wrote in its description of the ecosystem That makes protecting the Trans Fly savanna and grasslands from deforestation essential for maintaining biodiversity Any failure to do so will also be catastrophic for the climate and derail the Indonesian government’s target of curbing deforestation rates CEO of U.S.-based advocacy group Mighty Earth And much of the sugar produced from the Merauke project won’t even be used for food he pointed out: the government plans to develop sugarcane-derived bioethanol as part of its transition away from fossil fuels “The tragedy is that this project would also single-handedly undermine Indonesia’s greatest climate success: reducing the rate of commodity deforestation by an amazing 90% and Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya will examine the project to see if the companies involved are actually delivering on its purposes — or are instead breaking the government’s legal commitments.” there are also concerns that the rights of Indigenous Papuans will be violated in the process as they continue to be sidelined from consultation on the project “Has [the government] asked Papuans whether they want to plant sugarcane or not?” Faisal Basri, a prominent economist at the University of Indonesia, said at a seminar in June a vocal critic of government policies he deemed unjust passed away in early September from illness In his remarks in June, he cited the example of a similar megaproject in Merauke, the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) in 2011 to turn the district into the “future breadbasket of Indonesia.” The MIFEE project was earmarked for rice and sugarcane plantations to shore up national food security — the same justifications being touted by Jokowi administration officials today Yet the project turned out to be a failure used as cover to establish oil palm and pulpwood plantations instead The MIFEE project also became a “textbook land grab,” activists say companies acquired large swaths of Indigenous lands without the free and without providing adequate compensation This should be more than enough reason for the government to scrap the sugarcane project He also questioned the wisdom of imposing an industrial agricultural model on the lands of a people who for generations have lived as hunter-gatherers [the government] tried planting rice in Merauke as well and it failed because there’s no anthropological or sociological study [to determine what Indigenous Papuans want],” he said “This is because Papuans are considered to not exist The mindset [of development] is Java- or Jakarta-oriented.” said it’s committed to be transparent and actively involve Indigenous communities in the project by mapping the concession together with them This participatory mapping effort is necessary to identify which parts of the concession overlap with ancestral lands “We want to make sure that Indigenous peoples have a broad understanding of the size of their ancestral lands that will be managed by the company, and how the management will be carried out with sustainability principles,” he said as quoted by local media But as long as Indigenous Papuans don’t get to decide by themselves how to manage their own lands then there’s no meaningful participation and consent given by the communities who identifies as Papuan after having spent much of his childhood there “It’s very easy for the minister to come and earmark [lands] as he pleases,” Frederika said at the June Seminar with Faisal where do you have your ancestral right in [Papua] so how can you come [to Papua] and declare this region a place for investment?” Banner image: President Joko Widodo plants the first seed in PT Global Papua Abadi’s sugarcane concession in Merauke FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] Cari English Balancing the Development of the Merauke Sugarcane "Food Estate" with Intensification of People's Sugarcane TEKS › English›Balancing the Development of.. Iklan Balancing the Development of the Merauke Sugarcane "Food Estate" with Intensification of People's Sugarcane People's sugar cane also needs attention when the integrated sugar cane "food estate" in Merauke worth IDR 83.27 trillion is being built Audio Berita This article has been translated using AI. See Original Please note that this article was automatically translated using Microsoft Azure AI, Open AI, and Google Translation AI. We cannot ensure that the entire content is translated accurately. If you spot any errors or inconsistencies, contact us at hotline@kompas.id and we'll make every effort to address them TEKS KOMPAS/LASTI KURNIAIllustration Farmers use tractors to transport sugarcane harvest from newly developed sugarcane fields at the foot of Mount Tambora KOMPAS — The government may build a sugarcane food estate in Merauke Regency the intensification to increase the production and productivity of people's sugarcane accompanied by increased yields should not be forgotten These are the main points of the results of the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of the Indonesian Sugarcane Farmers Association (APTRI) in Bogor The Rakernas was held one day after President Joko Widodo planted the first sugarcane on the land of PT Global Papua Abadi We just want the government not to forget about increasing the production and productivity of people's sugar cane APTRI General Chairman Soemitro Samadikoen admitted that he was worried that the sugarcane food estate in Merauke would attract too much attention from the government and the state budget even though it is being worked on by the private sector the food estate is included as a national strategic project "We are not rejecting the Merauke sugarcane barn program to increase bioethanol production and realize self-sufficiency in consumer sugar We just want the government not to forget about increasing the production and productivity of people's sugarcane as well as sugar yields," he said when contacted from Jakarta APTRI formulated important steps in the development of smallholder sugarcane The aim is to achieve the target of self-sufficiency in sugar consumption of 3.4 million tons in 2028 national sugar production has decreased from 2.55 million tons to 2.27 million tons with an average production of 2.2 million tons per year The sugarcane land area increased by 7.4 percent from 469,000 hectares in 2013 to 505,000 hectares in 2023 the expansion of sugarcane fields has not been accompanied by an increase in productivity the national average sugarcane productivity has decreased by 2.06 percent from 75.7 tons per hectare to 61.5 tons per hectare The average sugar yield has only slightly increased from 7.18 percent to 7.32 percent in 2023 Soemitro explained that the first step that needs to be taken is to increase productivity and production of sugarcane This can be done through intensification of the existing sugarcane plants Also read: Regional Irrigation for National Food "The intensification can be achieved through two ways rejuvenating the people's sugarcane plants through a fairly massive bongkar ratoon program improving the irrigation channels of the people's sugarcane fields in several sugarcane center regions," he said APTRI has collected data on reservoirs and irrigation water sources for sugarcane fields in sugarcane centers in the districts of Lengkong and Jatikalen there are four reservoirs that serve as the irrigation source for 1,510 hectares of rice fields and sugarcane land and Perning reservoirs with a total area of 51 hectares Workers carry newly harvested sugar cane stalks to a truck in Waru District the reservoirs built during the Dutch era have experienced sedimentation Secondary and tertiary irrigation channels have also been damaged making it less optimal for irrigating rice fields and sugarcane plantations normalization of reservoirs and repair of irrigation channels are very necessary The funds needed are around Rp 22 billion or less than the investment funds for the construction of sugarcane food estate in Merauke which is worth Rp 53.8 trillion," he said is to improve sugar yields from the range of 5-8 percent to 10 percent through the revitalization of state-owned sugar mills With the increased productivity of sugarcane and sugar yields national sugar productivity which is currently around 4-6 tons per hectare is expected to increase to 7-8 tons per hectare If the sugar productivity of a 505,000-hectare sugarcane field increases to 7 tons per hectare the national sugar production would reach 3.53 million tons This means that the total sugar production would exceed the sugar self-sufficiency target of 2028 the steps of land intensification and yield improvement also need to be supported by good sugar trade practices starting from transparent yields to guaranteeing sugar prices that benefit farmers the government also needs to ensure the availability of subsidized fertilizer for sugarcane farmers," he said Head of the National Food Agency (Bapanas) Arief Prasetyo Adi who also attended the national working meeting stated that Bapanas is committed to maintaining the welfare of farmers One way is by maintaining the balance of consumption sugar prices at the farmer Bapanas has issued a policy of relaxation on the reference price for purchasing consumer sugar at the farmer level which is set at Rp 14,500 per kilogram (kg) This reference price has increased from the previous price of Rp 12,500 per kg "The policy has had a positive impact on the exchange rate of smallholder plantation farmers (NTPR) The price index received by smallholder plantation farmers also increased by 2.88 percent to 181.87," said Arief Also read: Indonesian Food Self-Sufficiency and OECD-FAO Forecasts (2) In relation to intensification and irrigation Bapanas will coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Public Works and Housing Bapanas will discuss it with PT Pupuk Indonesia (Persero) Arief is also committed to making Perum Bulog and ID Food as standby buyers of farmer's sugar The goal is to keep farmer's sugar from falling and strengthen the government's sugar reserves (CGP) the CGP at Bulog is 10,500 tons and at ID Food Bapanas has also requested that Bulog have a minimum of 25,000 tons of CGP according to the Decision of the Head of Bapanas No 379.1/TS.03.03/K/11/2023 regarding the Quantity and Government Purchase Prices in the Implementation of the Government's Food Reserves in 2024 Notice regarding limitations on the purchase of granulated sugar was displayed on the shelves of a modern retail supermarket in the Kebayoran Lama area of South Jakarta on Sunday (21/4/2024) Shortages of granulated sugar stock have started to occur in several modern retail markets President Jokowi visited the sugarcane food estate in Sermayam In addition to planting the first sugarcane the President also reviewed a number of facilities and infrastructure in the company The President expressed optimism that Merauke and its surrounding areas can become one of the rice "Looking at the flat land and abundant water sources I believe this is an opportunity for Indonesia to make Merauke and its surrounding areas a national food barn," he said in a press release on Tuesday (July 23 Also read: Merauke Food Barn Will Be Made into a Special Economic Zone Sermayam Sugarcane Plantation is a national strategic project to support the acceleration of national sugar self-sufficiency and bioethanol as a vegetable fuel The plantation area managed by PT Global Papua Abadi covers 506 hectares with an investment value of IDR 53.8 trillion PT Global Papua Abadi will expand its sugarcane plantation and build a sugar factory The sugar factory is targeted to operate in 2027 The total investment in the development of an integrated sugarcane plantation area in Merauke amounted to 5.62 billion US dollars or equivalent to 83.27 trillion Indonesian Rupiah the government also plans to build five sugar cane factories in Merauke that will process sugar cane cultivated on a 490,000-hectare land within an integrated supply chain ecosystem PT Global Papau Abadi will support the plan by building a laboratory in the location of their nursery garden to produce superior sugarcane seeds through research and tissue culture President Joko Widodo congratulated Investment Vice Minister Yuliot on his inauguration on Thursday (18/7/2024) along with Agricultural Vice Minister Sudaryono and Finance Vice Minister Thomas Djiwandono Deputy Investment Minister and Vice Head of the Investment Coordination Agency stated that the total investment in the development of an integrated sugarcane plantation in Merauke amounts to 5.62 billion US dollars or equivalent to Rp 83.27 trillion The investment funds are needed to build sugarcane plantations with agricultural mechanization technology worth IDR 29.2 trillion and the construction of five sugar and bioethanol factories worth IDR 53.8 trillion Also read: Government Prepares 1 Million Hectares of Land for Sugar Production in Papua the investment funds are also needed to build a human resource training center worth Rp 120 billion as well as research and innovation facilities worth Rp 150 billion per year the infrastructure and funding have been prepared by business actors or investors "The government has also built the Indonesian Sugar Plantation Research Center (P3GI) and established cooperation with Sugar Research Australia (SRA) to enhance research and innovation in the sector," he said via a press release in Jakarta This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Alfitria Nefi P TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) has assessed that implementing President Prabowo Subianto's food self-sufficiency program has harmed the environment the food estate project in Merauke has massively damaged the natural forest cover and marshlands throughout the Merauke mainland,'' said the Director of Socio-Bioeconomy Fiorentina highlighted the cassava plantation food estate project in Gunung Mas Regency the government's initiative to convert landscapes was initially utilized for peatland development into other crops could exacerbate hydro-meteorological disasters such as floods in that area She mapped out at least three factors contributing to the hazardous nature of the food self-sufficiency program She emphasized that environmental degradation is inseparable from conflicting interests ''Many interventions in the food sector are for business-related profits.'' According to Fiorentina the proliferation of corporations in this program has led to decision-making being at odds with corporate gains She also criticized the prevalence of incompetent parties in decision-making roles She pointed out the active or retired military intervention in the Forest Area Arrangement Task Force for mega food estate projects in South Merauke ''This military approach has made feeding militarized,'' she said She also criticized the uniformity of food production practices which she believed contributed to environmental degradation This is due to the fact that monoculture patterns force the government to constantly open up land for transforming into food self-sufficiency sites people in the hinterlands of Merauke are forced to consume rice that naturally does not grow in their soil,'' said Fiorentina such homogeneity may leave these areas vulnerable to food shortages She accused President Prabowo Subianto of implementing the food self-sufficiency program without thorough technocratic planning Prabowo's food policy is conducted in a militaristic Editor's Choice: Prabowo Voices Concern Over Indonesia's Legal System Following Bribery Scandal FAO Host Training Workshop to Enhance Governance in Indonesia's Agrifood Systems Transformation Hasan Nasbi Cancels Resignation as Indonesia's PCO Head: 'I Am Loyal to the President' Prabowo Subianto Plans to Establish 100 People's Schools Soon Prabowo Plans to Build Emergency Bulog Warehouses in Aceh Prabowo's Reason for Involving the Military in Food Matters Prabowo Open to Meeting Retired Military Forum Urging Gibran's Impeachment Prabowo Alludes to Students Eating Without Spoons Learn About the Outsourcing Practices Prabowo Intends to Scrap Prabowo: Bill Gates to Support Free Nutritious Meal Program in Indonesia Agoeng Wijaya Opposition to the National Strategic Projects Prabowo Subianto is moving on with problematic national strategic projects (PSN) Victims of PSN in the regions consolidate in Merauke “WE, Solidaritas Merauke (Merauke Solidarity), declare our full rejection of the deceptive schemes to plunder the people’s wealth through policy reforms. We demand a complete halt to all National Strategic Projects (PSN) and other projects under the guise of national interest that clearly sacrifice the people.” Monika Ndiken’s voice echoed throughout the Petrus Vertenten MSC Center auditorium in Merauke See Other Packages Indonesian Entrepreneurs in Cambodia’s Casinos Many Online Gamblers in Cambodia Are from Indonesia Pig’s Head Terror for Tempo A Deep Breath to Opposing Problematic Projects Crocodile leather crafts are long used in the world's fashion industry The harder and strong skin advantage makes the crocodile skin material much sought to be used as a variety of objects such as bags buaya leather crafts are already one of the most eastern cities in Indonesia It is not difficult to feel for tourists visiting Merauke find a store that sells souvenirs of crocodile leather crafts But to make a crocodile leather craft takes a long time Need the process as well as skill in processing the raw material of the crocodile skin to become a high economic value product Perajin prepares a dehydrated and further processed crocodile of products in Merauke Details of product range from crocodile skin in Merauke although the craft of crocodile skin in Merauke is relatively a lot but there is no contributor to supply raw materials Perajin still rely on supply from outside the city such as Jayapura to get crocodile skin It is because of the crocodile is one of the animals protected under the Government Regulation No 7 of 1999 About the Preservation of the Type of Plant and Satwa including the category of Apendiks II CITES namely the list of species that are not threatened but may be threatened if the trade continues without the arrangement the appointment of Merauke as one of the clusters of the National Sports Week (PON) XX Papua brought blessings for the craft of crocodile skin Not a little of athletes and contingents shopping souvenirs of crocodile leather crafts in Merauke The economic wheel of the UMKM squad is mainly the craftsman of the skin of the crocodile back to grate after this time the pandemi of COVID-19 Deretan souvenir store that sells a variety of products in Merauke Group and banal campaigns to not buy aloe skin products that do not have holograms as an official product sign attached to the glass of souvenir shops in Merauke Merauke crocodile leather crafts have the potential as one of the leading creative economic industry sectors that develop in the future and directly impact on business players such as craftsmen to the owner of the Merauke specialty souvenir shops Hologram is installed in the bag located in the souvenir store in Merauke as the marker of the product's authenticity and made of crocodile skin from official suppliers measure the crocodile skin before drawing the pattern and cutting it in Merauke The craft measures the crocodile skin before drawing the pattern and cutting it in Merauke The crocodile skin is characterized by a special numbered bracelet as a sign originated from the official catcher in Jayapura in a UMKM craft of crocodile skin in Merauke Perajin makes the wallet pattern on the crocodile skin in Merauke Perajin softens the purse of the crocodile skin in Merauke Buy skin craft sprays "cleaning" fluid to the wallet surface in Merauke The details of the crocodile skin purses are dried as a record in Merauke The bags and wallets made by crocodile skin after the painting process in Merauke The caption is automatically translated by application. Click here for the Bahasa Indonesia version he narrative of “empty land/unproductive forest” or “no forest/no trees” is often used by authorities to negate and delegitimize the existence of indigenous communities and the surrounding natural environment. Most recently, it was used by Hashim Djojohadikusumo, President Prabowo Subianto’s younger brother when addressing executives of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) in December This narrative is painful for the people of Merauke in Papua a site of the government’s food estate project It reflects an attempt to roll out the red carpet for private corporations to develop monoculture plantations and massive food and energy industrial complexes often obliterating the interests of indigenous peoples and local residents in the process with the state’s backing The status of national strategic project (PSN) was given unilaterally to these developments by former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in 2024 the idea of monetizing parts of Papua was first proposed in 2010 when president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono established the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate Living with the local people engenders empathy for their daily fear of state authority creating a situation in which they do not belong It is a process of ecological expropriation and extirpation of the lives of both indigenous and local communities in and around forest areas The end results are the expansion of extractive industries the seizing of power and control over resources that reap profits for a handful of people and do nothing for the interests of farmers or indigenous Papuans Expropriation is an action by government to take over the assets of individuals or organizations is a unilateral act to eliminate or destroy something completely the land of Merauke’s villagers has been pegged as a new colony both forests and lowland swamps are being destroyed and drained and then replaced with new industrial commodities Whether you're looking to broaden your horizons or stay informed on the latest developments "Viewpoint" is the perfect source for anyone seeking to engage with the issues that matter most Please check your email for your newsletter subscription Indonesians have experienced many failures in implementing the idea of so-called food estates since the Soeharto era but the Prabowo administration does not seem to have learned anything What past attempts have left behind are abandoned land and forests controlled by corporations as well as complex and unresolved land and social conflicts One can pose many questions about the real motives when the food estate narrative can no longer mask the ugly reality Where do the logs harvested from forests go What is the purpose of having a bold military presence in Merauke where local Papuan resistance has diminished over the past two decades at least The land in Merauke regency for the food estate project spanning more than 2 million ha that Hashim referred to is not empty land It is customary land that belongs to the Malind which have neither been recognized nor received their tenure rights from the state or around 80 percent of Merauke’s indigenous population will be affected by the food estate project These tribes rely on the forest as their main source of livelihood They go into the forest every day to harvest sago as their main food staple Now they are not free to enter and leave the forest due to hunting prohibition markers and security patrols The involvement of indigenous peoples in the project is minimal represented only by a few formal institutions and certain individuals at both the provincial and district/city levels cooperate in implementing the project that was decided by the national government and ignores the rights of indigenous peoples Local opposition to the project continues through demonstrations in Merauke and Jakarta The Pusaka Bentala Rakyat foundation reviewed the development of the Merauke food estate and observed that the establishment of rice fields sugarcane plantations and bioethanol production facilities converts and uses large forest areas by ignoring provisions on environmental and technical requirements A study by the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) found that Indonesia could potentially double its emissions by simply running the mega food estate project in Merauke undermining the country’s aim to achieve net-zero emissions Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) revealed that in the past year forest damage in South Papua increased more than twofold to 190,000 ha Regardless of the local people’s opposition The deployment of five battalions comprising 3,455 military personnel in South Papua is an indication of how much the government wants the project to go ahead The involvement of the Indonesian Military (TNI) has the potential to threaten and eliminate the right to life of the Papuan people and worsen human rights violations Merauke is part of the Trans-Fly Savanna and Grasslands ecoregion an area rich in endemic freshwater biota that is located on the south coast of the island of New Guinea It is the largest seasonal wetland area on New Guinea the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) describes this landscape as “the natural gem of Asia-Pacific” Swamps and savannas dominate most of the plains of Merauke which has a type of soil deemed less fertile for growing food crops Musamus University has studied the suitability of the land in Merauke for rice or agroclimate and found that no area fulfills the high suitability criteria primarily the western and southern parts of Merauke regency This means that the region’s capacity for intensive food crop production is still in question The writer is the executive director of the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat foundation an NGO focusing on environmental justice and indigenous people’s rights Pemerintah Indonesia tengah mendorong proyek untuk mengubah lahan di Papua menjadi hamparan perkebunan tebu untuk mencapai swasembada gula dan bioetanol namun masyarakat adat dan pemerhati lingkungan khawatir rencana itu akan berakibat pada perampasan tanah dan penggusuran mata pencaharian tradisional Kabupaten Merauke di Provinsi Papua Selatan menjadi sasaran proyek pertanian berskala besar Merauke Integrated Rice Estate (MIRE) pernah dibangun pada 2007 dan juga Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) pada 2010 namun kedua proyek “keamanan pangan” pada zaman Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono itu gagal dengan harapan dapat mengubah daerah ini menjadi pusat biofuel merupakan bagian dari Proyek Strategis Nasional proyek yang prioritas pembangunannya diutamakan Menteri Investasi/Kepala Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM) Indonesia Bahlil Lahadalia mengakui kegagalan dua mega proyek di Merauke sebelumnya namun ia memastikan bahwa proyek terkait perkebunan tebu kali ini akan sukses “Program di Merauke sudah beberapa kali gagal Kita tidak mau ini (perkebunan tebu) mengalami nasib sama ternyata bibit menjadi satu faktor persoalan,” ujar Bahlil dalam kunjungannya ke Merauke pertengahan Mei lalu Bahlil juga mengatakan pemerintah tengah melakukan kajian ekologis walaupun sesungguhnya tanpa ada kajian pun tanaman tebu pernah dibudidayakan di Merauke saya dijelaskan oleh tim perusahaan bahwa tanah di sini sangat cocok untuk tebu Dihadapkan dengan meningkatnya konsumsi gula di Indonesia dan peningkatan impor yang diakibatkannya Presiden Joko “Jokowi” Widodo pada tahun 2020 mengumumkan rencana Indonesia untuk mencapai swasembada komoditas ini dalam satu dekade Ia mengatakan bahwa untuk mencapai tujuan tersebutsalah satunya adalah dengan memperluas areal tebu dari pabrik gula yang dikelola negara ke luar Pulau Jawa dikutip dari laman Internasional Sugar Association Jokowi menandatangani pembentukan Satuan Tugas Percepatan Swasembada Gula dan Bioetanol di Merauke yang diatur dalam Keputusan Presiden (Keppres) nomor 15 tahun 2024 Keppres ini merupakan turunan dari Peraturan Presiden Republik Indonesia (Perpes) Nomor 40 Tahun 2023 Tentang Percepatan Swasembada Gula Nasional dan Penyediaan Bioetanol Sebagai Bahan Bakar Nabati (Biofuel) Bahlil ditunjuk sebagai ketua satuan tugas tersebut Berdasarkan rencana itu percepatan fasilitasi investasi komoditas tebu yang terintegrasi dengan industri gula dan pembangkit listrik biomasa di Kabupaten Merauke dibagi menjadi empat klaster wilayah dengan total  lebih dari dua juta hektare (Ha) yang akan menjadi wilayah pengembangan swasembada gula terintegrasi bioetanol Klaster ketiga seluas sekitar 504.373 hektar Gugus tugas tersebut berharap klaster ini menarik total investasi sebesar US$5,62 miliar (Rp83,27 triliun) menurut pernyataan Kementerian Investasi tanggal 2 Mei Kemudian pabriknya juga pada skala yang besar sekaligus dan ke depannya investasinya ini melibatkan orang daerah Jangan investornya yang tumbuh tapi masyarakatnya mati Jadi konsepnya adalah tumbuh bersama-sama,” ujar Bahlil dalam pernyataannya Namun tampaknya pernyataan dari pemerintah pusat tersebut tidak mendapat sambutan hangat di Papua Direktur Walhi Papua Maikel Primus Peuki mengatakan kebijakan pembangunan proyek terebut sesungguhnya menunjukkan bahwa pemerintah ini tidak menghargai masyarakat adat di Merauke tanpa persetujuan masyarakat adat selaku pemilik tanah ulayat dan hutan,” kata Peuki kepada BenarNews menambahkan bahwa pendekatan yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah bisa dikatakan brutal Ia mengatakan sepanjang pengalaman investasi yang ada di tanah Papua masyarakat adat tidak pernah merasakan apa itu kesejahteraan Mereka justru kehilangan hutan mereka dan sumber pencarian mereka yang ada di dalam hutan tersebut Sementara Direktur Yayasan Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Franky Samperante mengaku belum melihat desain resmi proyek raksasa yang luasnya hampir separuh Kabupaten Merauke itu Luas Kabupaten Merauke sekitar 46.791,63 kilometer persegi “Semestinya dokumen ini sudah ada sebelum proyek dilaksanakan dan penting dikonsultasikan kepada masyarakat terdampak termasuk memberikan persetujuan,” ujar Franky kepada BenarNews Franky menyebutkan dari kajian cepat yang dilakukan oleh Yayasan Pusaka ditemukan ada tujuh perusahaan yang berkaitan dengan proyek tebu dan bioetanol Merauke ini “Meskipun informasi yang kami dapatkan ini belum valid tapi saya bisa pastikan beneficial ownership-nya berhubungan dengan Fangiono Family,” kata Franky Salah satu dari Fangiono Family ini adalah Ciliandra Fangion dikenal sebagai pengusaha kelapa sawit dan salah satu orang terkaya di Indonesia yang memiliki harta kekayaan sebanyak US$ 2,2 miliar atau Rp35,7 triliun Belum ada kesepakatan dengan pemilik ulayat Salah satu pemilik ulayat di lokasi perkebunan tebu ini mengaku belum ada pertemuan antara perusahaan dengan pemilik hak ulayat untuk menyepakati nilai kontrak lahan yang akan dipakai untuk perkebunan tebu Laki-laki yang berasal dari Kampung Bath ini mengakui bahwa pada 2012 pernah ada pertemuan antara pemilik hak ulayat dengan perusahaan Saat itu beberapa pemilik hak ulayat diberikan uang sebesar Rp2 miliar sebagai “tali asih” “Meskipun saat itu sudah ada pembicaraan secara lisan tapi belum ada perjanjian secara tertulis,” kata dia tanah yang akan digunakan untuk perkebunan tebu itu dimiliki oleh 7 marga perusahaan hanya menggunakan sekitar 150 hektare “Waktu itu (tahun 2012) pemerintah menginginkan jangka waktu kontrak 35 tahun tapi kami pemilik ulayat maunya hanya 25 tahun Kami belum duduk lagi untuk membicarakannya lebih lanjut,” kata Petrus Generasi muda Merauke sementara itu melihat bahwa banjir yang terjadi beberapa waktu lalu di Kampung Bupul diakibatkan oleh kerusakan hutan dan lahan yang dilakukan perusahaan kelapa sawit Ketua Ikatan Mahasiswa Merauke di Kota Jayapura mengatakan kondisi itu akan lebih parah jika perusahaan tebu diizinkan beroperasi Oleh sebab itu pihaknya sebagai generasi muda Merauke menolak dengan rencana perkebunan tebu itu “Investasi yang masuk ke Papua Selatan banyak berdampak buruk terhadap masyarakat adat,” kata Chambu kepada BenarNews “Saya dengan tegas menolak perusahaan Tebu di Kabupaten Merauke.” Silakan memberikan komentar Anda dalam bentuk teks Komentar akan mendapat persetujuan Moderator dan mungkin akan diedit disesuaikan dengan Ketentuan Penggunaan Komentar tidak akan terlihat langsung pada waktu yang sama BeritaBenar tidak bertanggung jawab terhadap isi komentar Anda Dalam menulis komentar harap menghargai pandangan orang lain dan berdasarkan pada fakta JAKARTA — Hundreds of Indigenous people and civil society groups in Indonesia are demanding an end to government projects that have seized their lands more than 250 members of Indigenous and local communities affected by projects classified as being of strategic national importance a district in Indonesia’s Papua region bordering Papua New Guinea attendees shared their experiences of displacement and suffering caused by PSN projects The communities represented at the dialogue included those impacted by food estate projects in the provinces of North Sumatra Papua and South Papua; the Rempang Eco City project in the Riau Islands province; the Nusantara capital city (IKN) project in East Kalimantan; the Poco Leok geothermal project in East Nusa Tenggara; extractive industries related to biofuel in Jambi; various projects in West Papua; and the expansion of oil palm plantations across the wider Papua region Some community members have been displaced from their ancestral lands who continue fighting for their land rights face violence at the hands of the military and police According to the Agrarian Reform Consortium (KPA) there were 154 PSN-related conflicts from 2020 to 2024 affecting 103,000 families and 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of land The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) received 114 complaints related to PSN between 2020 and 2023 affected communities at the Merauke dialogue calling for the projects’ termination in front of government officials “We demand the complete cessation of National Strategic Projects and other so-called national interest projects that clearly sacrifice the people,” the declaration read in part “The perpetrators of state-corporate crimes must return all stolen wealth to the people and immediately restore their health and living spaces in all areas sacrificed in the name of national interest.” Pusaka director Franky Samperante said the “Merauke solidarity declaration” marks the beginning of resistance to the destruction of communities and their living spaces “Our next task is to strengthen the Merauke solidarity movement and continue rejecting and resisting PSN and other so-called national interest projects that blatantly sacrifice the people,” he said The PSN framework was formalized during the administration of former president Joko Widodo His government prioritized infrastructure development as a key driver of economic growth issuing a regulation in 2016 that outlined a list of priority projects to be developed under the PSN framework The main benefit to developers of such a designation is eminent domain: the government can invoke this power to take private property for public use but often at the cost of people’s rights and environmental and social impacts Between 2016 and 2024, the government initiated 233 PSN projects with a total investment value of around $378 billion When Prabowo Subianto took office as president in 2024, he continued and expanded the PSN program. His administration retained 48 ongoing projects from the previous administration, while adding 29 new projects, increasing the total PSN count to 77 projects The awarding of PSN designation to various projects has drawn criticism for bypassing regulatory hurdles and granting the government eminent domain rights to evict entire communities Many projects primarily benefit large corporations and politically connected businesses rather than local communities despite the government claims that they drive economic growth Indigenous Papuans living in the project area have protested saying they were never properly informed or consulted Many say they fear for their safety due to the heavy military presence and pressure from fellow community members who had already sold their land to developers a 67-year-old Indigenous man from the Kwipalo clan of the Yei tribe as the planned concessions overlap with his clan’s ancestral lands he was confronted at his home by five machete-wielding men who verbally assaulted him calling his family “stupid.” He called the police and the attackers fled when officers arrived The situation deescalated only after the village chief intervened Vincen said he suspects the attackers were from a neighboring clan that’s been embroiled in a land dispute with his clan He said this clan had already sold their customary land to a sugarcane developer for around 300,000 rupiah ($18) per hectare — the same offer made to Vincen’s family has stood by his side throughout the ordeal The 1,400-hectare (3,460-acre) customary forest claimed by the Kwipalo clan is a thriving ecosystem that’s home to towering trees and diverse wildlife such as cassowaries and is a source of income through rubber and teak plantations “That’s why I won’t give the land to the company,” Alowisia said as quoted by BBC Indonesia Despite the opposition from Indigenous peoples 7,147 hectares (17,660 acres) of forest and savanna had been cleared in Tanah Miring district for the sugarcane project while 4,543 hectares (11,226 acres) of forest and mangrove had been cleared for the rice-related infrastructure Senior officials have claimed there are no forests being cleared “There’s no forest in the middle of Merauke,” said the country’s energy minister a spatial analysis by TheTreeMap shows that the ecosystems cleared for the rice project are mostly Melaleuca swamp forests which are dominated by paperbark trees (Melaleuca leucadendron) These forests are unique ecosystems that appear sparse but are rich in biodiversity and store large amounts of carbon A 2016 study in Australia found that Melaleuca forests there store between 210 and 381 tons of carbon per hectare — higher even than the Amazon Rainforest on a per-hectare basis “However, Melaleuca forests are often overlooked because, unlike dense rainforests, they are less diverse and have more open structures,” TheTreeMap wrote in a blog post “These characteristics are sometimes mistaken for signs of degradation leading to misconceptions that Melaleuca forests are degraded ecosystems The construction of a new road for the rice project will further threaten these ecosystems Vincen addressed government officials in attendance including the Deputy minister of human rights He described how the arrival of the sugarcane plantation project under the PSN scheme had torn apart the social fabric of his community with families and clans who refuse to sell their land being pressured can you guarantee my safety if I get killed in the forest?” Vincen asked Mugiyanto as reported by BBC Indonesia “The government doesn’t see what’s happening Forget about Jakarta — even the local government here isn’t paying attention to how we are being pushed to fight one another.” He also made a direct plea to President Prabowo are being forced into conflict — into bloodshed,” Vincen said “Where else can we seek legal protection?” Despite growing evidence of human rights violations Mugiyanto offered no concrete solutions beyond saying he would relay the concerns to higher authorities PSN projects like the Merauke food estate are a “ticking time bomb” waiting to explode a senior researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) the food estate project could further escalate tensions deepening resentment of Papuans toward Jakarta these warnings foreshadow a crisis unlike any in Indonesia’s history with “an escalation of socioecological chaos,” warned affected community members in their declaration Tran, D. B., & Dargusch, P. (2016). Melaleuca forests in Australia have globally significant carbon stocks. Forest Ecology and Management, 375, 230-237. doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2016.05.028 Banner image: Local and Indigenous communities affected by PSN projects in Indonesia gathered to read a declaration calling for the halt of PSN projects in Merauke on March 14 Bahlil selaku Ketua Satuan Tugas Percepatan Swasembada Gula dan Bioetanol di Kabupaten Merauke Papua Selatan datang ke Ngguti Bob atau Sermayam untuk mengecek kesiapan investasi perkebunan tebu dalam rangka memuluskan Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) Swasembada Gula pada 2027 dan Bioetanol Menteri Bahlil kepada wartawan di Sermayam menyatakan bahwa pemerintah membuat kebijakan yang fokus menjadikan Kabupaten Merauke Papua Selatan sebagai lumbung pangan khususnya menyangkut produksi gula dan etanol Untuk mencapai swasembada gula dan bioetanol dari Kabupaten Merauke maka proyek seluas dua juta hektar perkebunan tebu di sana bakal dilakukan sepenuhnya dengan sistem mekanisasi dan teknologi “Untuk membangun ini (PSN swasembada gula dan etanol) Kita sudah harus sistem mekanisasi dan teknologi saya lihat memang kontur tanah Merauke cocok dengan mekanisasi,” kata Bahlil Sehingga tadi saya minta kepada kehutanan agar areal perairan tidak boleh dipakai untuk kebun tebu tapi biarkan dia menjadi bagian untuk menampung air jadi biarkan areal itu menjadi daerah tangkapan air,” sambungnya di antaranya Merauke Integrated Food And Energy Estate (Mifee) dan Mire (Merauke Integrated Rices Estate) di Kabupaten Merauke gagal dilaksanakan Karenanya pemerintah tidak ingin PSN Swasembada Gula dan Etanol di Merauke juga menjadi gagal ternyata bibit menjadi satu faktor persoalan Bukan hanya persoalan lahan dan berapa besar areal yang dibuka tetapi bibit yang cocok untuk ditanam di sini itu bibit apa Jadi perlu penelitian bibit yang cocok,” ujarnya proyek strategis nasional perkebunan tebu di Kabupaten Merauke yang dicanangkan pemerintah pusat dalam rangka meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat karena pemerintah mewajibkan investor menerapkan pola inti plasma dalam pelaksanaannya “Perkebunan yang kita buat ini melibatkan rakyat semua saya ultimatum kepada perusahaan – pengusaha semua harus tertib dan menghargai hak-hak masyarakat adat,” kata Bahlil tapi rakyat yang di sekitar yang punya hak ulayat juga tumbuh ada tiga hal yang diwajibkan kepada perusahaan Pertama; hak-hak masyarakat tidak boleh diabaikan dan ketiga; melibatkan pengusaha lokal serta menyerap tenaga kerja lokal “Terkait kompensasi perusahaan kepada pemilik hak ulayat Sebelum HGU-nya diserahkan maka harus ada pelepasan adat pelepasan adat itu termasuk di dalamnya adalah hak-hak masyarakat adat,” kata dia Ditanya sejauh mana kajian sosial ekologis perkebunan tebu di Merauke? Apakah telah dilakukan dan seperti apa hasilnya Bahlil menyatakan bahwa sebenarnya tanpa dikaji pun kajian sosial ekologis perkebunan tebu di sana harus tetap dilakukan kan 1920 barang ini (budidaya tebu) di sini sudah ada Hanya kita butuh sistem drainase yang bagus dan juga bibit yang cocok di Merauke,” katanya Menyoal dampak negatif alih fungsi hutan untuk perkebunan tebu Bahlil menyatakan bahwa secara umum di Kabupaten Merauke didominasi oleh pohon kayu putih atau ekualiptus Sedangkan pohon-pohon pelindung utama seperti Merbau dan pohon alami tidak ada “Mana ada hutan di tengah-tengah Merauke ini Justru dengan kehadiran tebu ini bikin drainase supaya bagus lingkungannya wilayah-wilayah yang menjadi pusat pertumbuhan satwa tumbuh-tumbuhan dan areal air itu tidak dijadikan sebagai bagian yang harus dipakai untuk kebun,” tutupnya Salah satu pemilik Ulayat dari Kampung Bath Sergius Kaize menyatakan bahwa belum ada pertemuan antara perusahaan dan pihak pemilik hak ulayat untuk menyepakati nilai kontrak lahan yang akan dipakai perusahaan sekaligus membuat perjanjian tertulis Sergius Kaize mengatakan pertemuan antara perusahaan dan pemilik ulayat terjadi beberapa tahun silam Saat itu perusahaan memberikan tali asih Rp2 miliar lebih kepada tujuh marga pemilik hak ulayat Hal terkait kontrak lahan dan tanggung jawab perusahaan kepada pemilik ulayat masih sebatas pembicaraan lisan “Saat itu perusahaan minta jangka waktu kontrak 35 tahun tapi akhir-akhir ini kami pemilik ulayat maunya hanya 25 tahun Tapi kami belum duduk lagi untuk membicarakan itu Kami memang diberikan uang Rp2 miliar lebih pada 2012 Untuk kontrak per meter atau hektarnya juga belum ada pembicaraan,” kata dia pihaknya minta agar perusahaan membuat perjanjian kerja sama dalam bentuk tugu Dan tugu tersebut harus dibangun di kampung-kampung pemilik ulayat “Kami mau itu perjanjiannya tidak hanya tertulis di kertas tapi dibuat dalam bentuk tugu yang mana ada perjanjian tertulis di situ Kami minta tugunya dibangun di Kampung Bath Sermayam serta di lokasi perusahaan,” ujarnya Kasimirus Wandri Kaize menyebut lahan tujuh marga itu seluas 180 ribu hektare Namun yang dipakai perusahaan sekitar 150 ribu hektare karena harus dipilah-pilah terkait tanah sakral dan rawa-rawa untuk tidak digunakan sebagai kebun tebu Kami juga minta supaya kali-kali yang ada tidak dibuat menjadi drainase buatan biarkan itu sesuai alamnya dan menjadi sumber kehidupan,” kata Kasimirus Kaize kami diundang ke sini untuk membicarakan berbagai hal (soal hak ulayat tapi saya heran kenapa tidak semua marga hadir sementara ini lahan tebu yang dikelola PT Global Papua Abadi seluas 506 hektare dengan nilai investasi Rp53.8 Triliun Lokasi perkebunan berada di Kampung Ngguti Bob JAKARTA — Indigenous Papuans say they’ve been caught off guard by helicopters flying over their villages and excavators tearing down their forests in their area all while accompanied by the Indonesian military What they’re being subjected to is one of the largest deforestation projects in the world which will see the development of 1 million hectares (2.5 million acres) of rice fields in Merauke a district in Indonesia’s Papua region that borders Papua New Guinea informed consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities living in the area have fueled concerns that the project will create new conflicts in the region Indonesia has maintained a heavy military presence in the Papua region since annexing it in 1963 with security forces frequently accused of committing human rights violations under the justification of cracking down on a low-level independence movement Indigenous Papuans living in the project area had already begun protesting saying they were never properly informed or consulted with backhoes have already entered our villages,” said Yasinta Moiwend an Indigenous woman from Ilwayab subdistrict in Merauke This lack of consultation has created confusion among the villagers a local priest who lives in a village across from the area earmarked for the rice project He cited the recent arrival of a large barge in Ilwayab There have also been helicopters crisscrossing the skies over their villages “They did so without asking for permission from the villagers,” he said “So people started to become suspicious and afraid because of the helicopters flying freely The presence of the military in the villages further spooked the Indigenous inhabitants “The people could do nothing because the company [Jhonlin] came with armed [military] forces,” he said there’s no way the company could enter the villages and people’s lands as they please.” Pius said he expected increasing military presence in the region as there’s a plan to deploy five battalions with one battalion usually consisting of 1,000 soldiers inaugurated the formation of the five battalions “The five battalions in five regions in Papua will work together with the Ministry of Agriculture and local communities to plant the main food commodities, including rice,” Agus said as quoted by local media the military has enjoyed a return to non-defense activities Observers and historians say this marks a severe regression toward the past militaristic tendencies of the late authoritarian president Suharto the military had a “dual function” that allowed it to get involved in civilian affairs “This means the New Order era is coming back,” Pius said “This might even be scarier than the New Order The villages [in the project site] only have around 3,000 people It means there’s going to be more soldiers than villagers What does the government want to create there it will be impossible for the villagers to live in peace on their own land But if they’re already in the middle of the people especially once they see weapons,” Pius said The government says the Merauke project is necessary for Indonesia’s food security in the face of climate change impacts that are driving weather unpredictability and affecting crop yields In 2023, El Niño brought a prolonged dry season resulting in many cases of rice harvest failure This is a cause of concern as Indonesia is highly dependent on rice. The grain is the staple food across the country, with Indonesians consuming 35.8 million metric tons annually or about 124 kilograms (273 pounds) per person “That’s why we have to innovate by making new programs,” said Ahmad Rizal Ramdhani the military general who heads the government task force overseeing the Merauke rice project “One of them is the 1-million-hectare rice field project.” The scale of the project has raised concerns over deforestation, as Merauke is also the site of another mega agricultural project: the development of 2 million hectares (5 million acres) of sugarcane plantations a total of 3 million hectares (7.5 million acres) or more than half of Merauke’s total land area will be transformed into agricultural plantations In a feasibility study into the rice project, Jakarta-based consultancy Sucofindo identified 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres) of land in Merauke that could be converted into rice fields A spatial analysis by conservation NGO the Nusantara Foundation found that the targeted areas comprised mostly secondary swamp forests These ecosystems and the biodiversity they host risk disappearing if the rice project moves ahead senior director of forest commodities at U.S.-based campaign group Mighty Earth with vast swaths of pristine forest still untouched,” she told Mongabay “It cannot become the new agricultural frontier with the destruction of nature that brings.” The rice project also threatens Indigenous peoples and their rights to their ancestral lands an NGO that advocates for the rights of Indigenous Papuans Pusaka estimates that more than 50,000 Indigenous people will be affected by the project Among them is Yasinta in Ilwayab subdistrict a member of the Moiwend clan that owns land covered by the project There’s no more place for us to look for food to send our kids to school,” Yasinta said during a recent visit to the area by the South Papua provincial governor Some of the Indigenous communities live in forest areas that the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has permitted to be cleared for the rice project the environment ministry issued a decree allowing the Ministry of Defense to use 13,540 hectares (33,460 acres) of areas zoned as forest for agricultural purposes The 13,540 hectares of forest area in question includes 94 hectares (232 acres) of protected forest and 9,256 hectares (22,872 acres) of land dedicated to sustainable forestry The fact that they were designated as such in the first place indicates that these lands are of high ecological importance or significant to local communities Pusaka also identified sites deemed sacred to local communities and traditional hunting grounds in the area gifted by the environment ministry to the defense ministry for the rice project The presence of Indigenous peoples and their ancestral lands in the project site should have prompted the government to consult with the communities in Merauke before deciding to locate the project there “The people should receive information regarding the project which will be carried out in their ancestral lands and given freedom to negotiate and make a decision on whether to accept or reject the project,” he said “The government and the company [developing the project] didn’t do this.” said Indigenous communities have nothing to worry about because the government will include them in the project The government will also avoid clearing sacred sites when building infrastructure for the project the government will avoid clearing areas with high conservation values such as those that are biodiversity hotspots at least one Indigenous community has reported the clearing of its sacred sites due to the project is a violation of the rights of Indigenous peoples which should be protected under Indonesian law an organization that purports to speak for Indigenous communities in Ilwayab subdistrict said the rice project won’t violate the rights of Indigenous peoples “The people [here] are no longer afraid or concerned about their lands being grabbed by companies,” Yohanes said as quoted by local media They’re not going to be handed over [to companies] Pius said Yohanes doesn’t represent the Indigenous communities in Ilwayab because he comes from the Mahuse clan; the lands covered by the rice project belong to the Moiwend and Gebze clans Members of the latter two clans have staged a series of protests against the project the interim governor of South Papua province The protesters covered themselves in white mud as a display of their grief due to the rice project threating their land rights the government will build infrastructure with the help of the Jhonlin Group a company owned by influential Bornean tycoon Andi Syamsudin Arsyad Jhonlin, whose business interests range from palm oil to coal mining, has a track record of clearing rainforests and peatlands as well as being embroiled in numerous disputes with local communities over land, labor and human rights violations Isam himself is the cousin of Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman The deal is the biggest of its kind in the world “The state has given me this task [to carry out the rice project]. In my mind is how to make this 1-million-hectare rice project successful within three years, without worrying about the profit or the loss,” Isam said as quoted by local media As of August, 232 excavators had been shipped to Wanam a village in Merauke at the heart of the project site Among the infrastructure to be built are a logistics port on the coast and a road connecting it to Wanam 135 kilometers (84 miles) away The port and the road will facilitate the transport of farming equipment to Wanam The government will also build irrigation canals along the road to feed the rice fields Satellite analysis by technology consultancy TheTreeMap indicates that land clearing for the logistic port has begun Experts are split on whether this million-hectare rice project will succeed an agricultural expert at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta adding the landscape in Merauke is suitable for rice fields “The land there is vast and flat, with not many hills and valleys,” he said as quoted by local media I see that there’s enough water [to irrigate the rice fields].” an agricultural researcher at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) said both the rice and sugarcane megaprojects are bound to repeat the failure of past food estate projects in the region In 2011, then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono initiated the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) aimed at turning the district into the “future breadbasket of Indonesia” by establishing rice and sugarcane plantations — the same justifications being touted by government officials today The MIFEE project turned out to be a failure It became a “textbook land grab,” activists said: Under the guise of the project the government tried to revive the food estate program by clearing land for cassava and rice farms in Kalimantan This despite experts warning the government that the project would fail since the swampy lands of Kalimantan aren’t suitable for large-scale agriculture unlike Java where the soil is nourished by frequent volcanic eruptions The experts’ warning turned out to be true, with a field investigation finding that some of the food estates in Kalimantan had been abandoned; instead of food crops the abandonment attributed to lack of proper planning a politician from the National Mandate Party and member of president-elect Prabowo Subianto’s campaign team acknowledged the shortcomings of the food estate project in Kalimantan That’s why Prabowo decided to shift the program’s focus to Merauke where the soil is more suitable for farming “We realized we can’t rely on Kalimantan, and so we will develop [a food estate] in Merauke, because it has flat and vast lands,” Dradjad said as quoted by local news “While there’s a lack of infrastructure there it has very good agricultural [potential].” Dwi from the agricultural institute said the government doesn’t seem to have learned from the long list of megaproject failures The sheer size of the two currently being pursued in Merauke — for rice and for sugarcane — is one of the reasons why they’re bound to fail they eclipse the ambition of previous food estate projects which had a relatively modest scope of 1.2 million hectares (3 million acres) of agricultural fields in Merauke isn’t fertile enough for agricultural purposes “Let’s say the types of crops [used] are suitable for the soil there. But what about the pests? How to control them?” he said as quoted by local media Dwi also questioned the availability of farmers in Merauke to work the land He estimated the two projects would need a combined 2 million farmers at the very least “[The government] wants to repeat the same mistake so I can assure you [the project] will fail,” he said Even if the rice project does turn out to be a success it’s not clear how the Indigenous Papuans who have been stripped of their land for it will benefit: the government plans to export the rice to other countries “The concept of Merauke [rice project] is for export because we are targeting Pacific islands and Australia as market,” he said Shipping the rice to Jakarta for domestic consumption “will be more expensive,” whereas “it’s cheaper to export to the Pacific,” Rizal said and is listed as the government’s top priority for improving food security Rizal said the project will ultimately improve the welfare of the people of Papua which long has been one of the most underdeveloped regions in Indonesia The region has the nation’s highest poverty rate with more than 28% of its residents living below the poverty line “We are ordered [by the central government] to improve the economy the health and the education of people in remote areas through agriculture,” Rizal said “Our brothers and sisters in Wanam rarely receive attention from the government.” Regardless of whether the rice ends up being exported or eaten domestically the project is still at odds with the Indonesian government’s commitment to combat climate change “Indonesia says climate change is driving food insecurity but razing forests to grow crops further fuels global heating through deforestation,” she said “The outgoing President Jokowi recently admitted that the food estate project has been tried many times before with no success In a climate and nature emergency this venture makes no sense and calls into question Indonesia’s climate commitments while canceling out the progress it’s made in driving down commodity-driven deforestation.” Banner image: An excavator clearing land to make way for rice paddy in Merauke The Indonesian Military has established five new infantry battalions to be deployed in conflict-prone areas of Papua Armed Forces Commander General Agus Subiyanto announced on Wednesday The primary mission of these battalions is to maintain security and support the government’s development efforts in the eastern region of Indonesia “We have inaugurated five battalions to be stationed in vulnerable areas of Papua Their goal is to assist the government in accelerating development and improving the prosperity of the Papuan people,” Agus said during a press briefing in Jakarta These ground forces will help secure major government projects such as the food security program covering over 1,000 hectares of crops in Merauke Regency and key road construction projects across Papua Papua has seen an escalation in insurgent activity with sporadic attacks on both civilian and military targets The Free Papua Movement (OPM) has been responsible for abductions and killings particularly targeting construction workers involved in key infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity in the region A notable incident involved the abduction of New Zealand pilot Philip Mark Mehrtens who was held hostage by an OPM rebel group for nearly 20 months before being released last month Terdapat empat klaster wilayah dengan total lebih dari 2 juta hektare yang akan menjadi wilayah pengembangan swasembada gula terintegrasi bioetanol Klaster 1 dan 2 seluas kurang lebih 1.000.000 ha dan klaster 4 seluas kurang lebih 400.000 ha Total rencana investasi perkebunan tebu terintegrasi swasta klaster 3 diperkirakan mencapai USD5,62 miliar atau Rp83,27 triliun Pelaksanaan investasi swasembada gula dan bioetanol ini diperkirakan akan selesai di 2027 Pilot Project Proyek Strategis Nasional perkebunan tebu telah mulai digarap PT Global Papua Abadi seluas 506 hektare dengan nilai investasi Rp53 Provinsi Papua Selatan dan akan diperluas mencakup wilayah Distrik Jagebob dan sekitarnya Direktur Yayasan Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Franky Samperante mengaku belum melihat desain resmi proyek raksasa yang luasnya hampir separuh Kabupaten Merauke itu Luas Kabupaten Merauke sekitar 46.791,63 kilometer persegi atau 4.679.163 hektare “Semestinya dokumen ini sudah ada sebelum proyek dilaksanakan dan penting dikonsultasi kepada masyarakat terdampak Ini kelanjutan dari MIFEE dan akan mengulang tanpa kajian yang komprehensif dan konsultasi yang luas Peraturan dan standar pasar mewajibkan kajian,” ujar Franky kepada Jubi Proyek Strategis Nasional perkebunan tebu diatur dalam Keputusan Presiden (Keppres) Nomor: 15 Tahun 2024 tentang Satuan Tugas Percepatan Swasembada Gula dan Bioetanol di Merauke Dalam Keppres itu ada tujuh tugas yang harus dikerjakan Satgas di antaranya menginventarisasi dan mengidentifikasi permasalahan serta pengumpulan data dan dokumen yang diperlukan dalam rangka percepatan swasembada gula dan bioetanol dan memfasilitasi ketersediaan lahan yang sesuai dengan komoditas tebu Kemudian memfasilitasi pemberian fasilitas investasi yang dibutuhkan pelaku usaha untuk percepatan pembangunan dan pengembangan perkebunan tebu terintegrasi dengan industri beserta sarana dan prasarana penunjang dan lain-lainnya Satgas itu diketuai langsung Menteri Investasi/Kepala Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal Bahlil Lahadalia dan sebagai wakil ketua Menteri Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan dan Menteri Agraria dan Tata Ruang/Kepala Badan Pertanahan Nasional Franky khawatir tata kelola proyek perkebunan tebu yang mengabaikan partisipasi masyarakat dan kajian lingkungan hidup akan beresiko terjadinya konflik dan ketegangan antara masyarakat Serta akan beresiko terjadinya bencana ekologi seperti banjir dan berdampak pada kesehatan dan mata pencaharian sebagaimana sedang dialami masyarakat adat di kampung hari ini “Kami sedang mempelajari peta kesesuaian lahan dan analisis cepat situasi sosial,” ujarnya Menurut Franky perkebunan tebu raksasa ini hanya akan menambah kesejahteraan dan kekayaan berlipat ganda kepada pemilik modal dan birokrat pebisnis dan oligarki dan hanya menjadi buruh kasar di awal produksi dengan upah yang tidak layak “Ini terjadi pada industri perkebunan kelapa sawit di Papua OAP (Orang Asli Papua) diabaikan dan mengalami diskriminasi dan kekerasan Sistem pasar tenaga kerja yang kompleks dengan berbagai persyaratan dan efisiensi akan beresiko bagi orang kampung tersingkir dan diabaikan dari pasar tenaga kerja,” katanya Franky meminta pemerintah menghentikan proyek ini dan melakukan kajian analisis dampak sosial manajemen pengelolaan hingga pembagian manfaat harus bertanggung jawab jika ada resiko pelanggaran HAM dan kerusakan lingkungan hidup yang merugikan korban masyarakat adat Papua “Hormati dan berdayakan hak-hak dan pengetahuan penghidupan OAP Hormati keputusan OAP atas pilihan penghidupan yang layak Bangun ekonomi kerakyatan yang berpihak pada OAP secara berkeadilan dan berkelanjutan,” katanya perkebunan tebu skala besar itu akan meningkatkan laju deforestasi hutan Papua Ia belum mengetahui secara persis berapa luas deforestasi karena pemerintah belum mengeluarkan dokumen dan ‘area of interest’ perkebunan tebu tersebut “Namun ancaman deforestasi terencana akan berlangsung pada kawasan hutan dataran rendah yang spesifik dari ekosistem Papua Selatan,” ujarnya Greenpeace: Hutan Papua Selatan makin terancam Juru Kampanye Hutan Greenpeace Indonesia Nicodemus Wamafma mengatakan dari data Greenpeace yang diolah dan mengacu kepada data University of Maryland (UMD) sepanjang 2001-2023 kehilangan hutan di Tanah Papua (forest loss) seluas 722.256 ha Khususnya di bagian Papua Selatan kehilangan hutan seluas 196.650 ha “Sisa hutan alam di Papua Selatan seluas hampir 7 juta hektare akan semakin terancam dengan rencana pembukaan lahan untuk food estate Dengan rencana pembukaan lahan 2 juta hektare ini akan melipatgandakan kehilangan hutan yang cukup luas dan akan mengancam komitmen Indonesia untuk menurunkan deforestasi di bawah perjanjian Paris,” kata Wamafma kepada Jubi Ia mengatakan Greenpeace menaruh perhatian yang besar terhadap rencana pembukaan kebun tebu di wilayah Papua seluas 2 juta hectare itu Wamafma menilai ini adalah kebijakan serampangan yang akan berdampak terhadap masalah lingkungan dan masalah sosial di wilayah Papua khususnya di lokasi proyek yang akan dibangun di Kampung Ngguti Bob Menurutnya proyek yang disebut sebagai proyek pangan dan energi tersebut akan berdampak dan memicu krisis iklim yang lebih luas “Perkebunan tebu dengan skala yang luas akan berdampak terhadap deforestasi Setiap aktivitas di kawasan hutan dengan skala luas akan berdampak pada daya dukung lingkungan Apalagi dengan rencana luasan mencapai 2 juta hektare pasti memiliki dampak yang besar dengan pertanian monokultur seperti tebu,” ujarnya Wamafma mengatakan sebagian wilayah yang akan dijadikan perkebunan tebu masih merupakan hutan alam dan memiliki keanekaragaman hayati Jika proyek tersebut dijalankan akan mengakibatkan pelepasan emisi yang besar dan kehilangan biodiversitas di wilayah Papua Menurut Wamafma perkebunan tebu itu adalah pintu masuk kehancuran setelah sawit dan hutan tanaman yang mengancam Papua “Dampaknya terhadap masyarakat adat akan meluas terutama perampasan tanah dan mengabaikan hak- hak masyarakat adat Papua di wilayah proyek,” katanya Laporan yang dirilis Auriga Nusantara yang disusun bersama Koalisi Indonesia Memantau pada 2021 menyatakan sebanyak 72 surat keputusan Pelepasan Kawasan Hutan (PKH) di Tanah Papua diterbitkan Menteri Kehutanan pada rentang 1992-2019 dengan luas seluruhnya 1.549.205 hektare Sektor pertanian menjadi tujuan utama pelepasan Pembangunan perkebunan kelapa sawit adalah tujuan utama pelepasan kawasan hutan untuk sektor pertanian atau 84 persen dari total pelepasan kawasan hutan di Tanah Papua Menteri Investasi/Kepala Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia mengunjungi lokasi perkebunan tebu di di Kampung Ngguti Bob Bahlil mengatakan proyek strategis nasional perkebunan tebu di Kabupaten Merauke yang dicanangkan pemerintah pusat untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat Menurutnya pemerintah mewajibkan investor menerapkan pola inti plasma dalam pelaksanaannya dan menghargai hak-hak masyarakat adat model plasma tersebut hanya menjadi ‘gula- gula’ untuk memanipulasi masyarakat untuk setuju melepaskan hak atas tanah mereka Wamafma mengatakan belum ada jaminan pola plasma akan berjalan dengan baik “Sebelumnya sudah ada proyek yang hampir sama seperti MIFEE dan Proyek Tanah Merah yang telah terbukti gagal dan meninggalkan masalah lingkungan dan konflik dengan masyarakat adat,” ujarnya Wamafma mengatakan proyek ini juga akan menggunakan lima konsorsium besar termasuk PT Sinergi  Gula Nusantara (Sugar Co) dan Wilmar Group yang memiliki rekam jejak buruk atas dampak aktivitas yang dilakukannya Wamafma mengatakan belajar dari skema plasma di sektor perkebunan sawit justru menjadi konflik baru di mana masyarakat tidak diberdayakan dengan baik “Masyarakat adat di Merauke belum terbiasa dengan pekerjaan yang intensif termasuk bagaimana melakukan proses produksi untuk pertanian tebu,” ujarnya Menurutnya sejauh ini belum ada kajian mendalam terkait dengan proyek ini Artinya belum ada kajian akademis yang menunjukkan dampak-dampak lingkungan hanya melihat dari sisi profit saja tanpa memikirkan dampak lingkungan “Belajar dari proyek food estate yang sebelumnya dijalankan oleh pemerintah sebelumnya telah membuktikan kegagalan dan justru menghasilkan bencana yang tidak terpulihkan dan proyek food estate singkong di Gunung Mas Kalimantan Tengah Belum lagi masalah korupsi dan keterlibatan elit politik dalam proyek- proyek ini sudah terbukti tidak bermanfaat bagi masyarakat justru menjadi masalah baru dan sumber korupsi,” ujarnya Wamafma mengatakan sebaiknya proyek ini dihentikan karena dampaknya yang luas dan tidak menjawab krisis pangan Menurutnya sistem pangan berbasis komoditas dan industrial telah gagal memberi makan banyak orang di dunia ini bukan untuk memenuhi kebutuhan pangan kita melainkan untuk akumulasi kapital,” ujarnya Menurutnya sudah saatnya membangun momentum sistem pangan alternatif yang lebih kolaboratif dan berkeadilan sosial ekologi di mana menempatkan masyarakat seharusnya memiliki kendali dan kuasa Guna membentuk sistem pangannya yang sejalan dengan sistem pangan ekologis yang dirancang untuk mendukung keberlanjutan manusia dan lingkungan bukan untuk menghasilkan keuntungan bagi perusahaan multinasional harus mendukung keadilan pangan dengan memberikan hak  kepada individu untuk menanam dan gender dalam membentuk solusi untuk memenuhi kebutuhan makanan sesuai dengan kondisi alam dan sumber pangan lokal mereka “Penanganan krisis pangan harus sejalan dengan bagaimana kita bisa mengatasi krisis iklim,” ujarnya Walhi Papua: Perkebunan tebu 2 juta ha harus dihentikan Direktur Eksekutif Daerah Walhi Papua Maikel Primus Peuki mengatakan Proyek Strategis Nasional (PSN) perkebunan tebu di Provinsi Papua Selatan akan membuat masyarakat adat hidup di atas penderitaan yang panjang Peuki mengatakan pemerintah seakan-akan tidak menghargai kedudukan masyarakat adat “Pemerintah punya kebijakan tebu ini merugikan masyarakat sekali Pemerintah sedang membuat penderitaan yang sangat panjang di tanah Marind dan menguntungkan orang lain tanpa melihat kerusakan lingkungan dan ruang hidup masyarakat adat,” ujar Peuki kepada Jubi Menurut Peuki proyek perkebunan tebu merupakan kebijakan top down tanpa memperhatikan masyarakat adat setempat dan DPRD harus bicara tentang kepentingan masyarakat adat di sana supaya mereka tidak tersingkir dengan hadirnya perkebunan tebu tersebut Mereka harus melihat potensi kerusakan hutan itu ada di sana Sepanjang investasi hadir di Papua Selatan hampir tidak ada orang Marind yang hidup sejahtera Mereka kehilangan tanah adat mereka dan itu disayangkan sekali,” katanya A possible cooperation between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Indonesia on the so-called food estate program in Papua is beginning to take shape as talks continue President Prabowo Subianto has set an ambitious target of making Indonesia self-sufficient in food without having to rely on imports by 2027 the retired army general intends to carry on the work of his predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo of developing well-integrated large-scale agricultural lands in a program popularly known as the food estate The program now mainly concentrates on Merauke which lies in South Papua and spans around 2 million hectares Amidst work to boost domestic crop production the Indonesian government has been in touch with its international partners Food self-sufficiency was on the agenda when UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) hosted Prabowo for a state visit a week ago The meeting is expected to drive Emirati agrifood companies’ interest in making an investment according to UAE Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulla Salem AlDhaheri The envoy had also recently met with Chief Food Affairs Minister Zulkifli Hasan further moving the needle on a food self-sufficiency partnership “[The possible cooperation] is not [the UAE] supplying food [to Indonesia] It is more about making an investment in the country We are currently evaluating the food estate program in Papua One of our companies had even visited Papua,” AlDhaheri told the press in Jakarta on Thursday evening but we are discussing it,” AlDhaheri said The diplomat confirmed that Elite Agro -- an Emirati agriculture giant that boasts large-scale integrated farming operations -- was among the companies that the Indonesian government had been negotiating with State-Owned Enterprise Minister Erick Thohir earlier this year revealed Elite Agro’s interest in the food estate program -- a comment he made when he was still under Jokowi Erick told reporters at the time that the investment could be a win-win for Indonesia and the UAE amid rising food commodity prices and Morocco to produce a wide range of vegetables Prabowo headed to Papua to inspect the rice-planting process in the Merauke Food Estate The government also classifies the Merauke Food Estate program as a “national strategic project” This status means that the government will likely give extra attention to building the food estate Indonesia also has a 500-hectare food estate in Keerom You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed JAKARTA — The Indonesian government plans to establish 2 million hectares of sugarcane plantations in the eastern region of Papua home to the last great expanse of rainforest in Southeast Asia spanning an area 30 times the size of Jakarta He denied that this biodiverse landscape constituted “natural forest,” and justified clearing it in the interest of weaning Indonesia off sugar imports entirely by 2027 The government also has plans to develop cane-derived bioethanol as part of its transition away from fossil fuels “Our country is one of the world’s largest in size. But [when] sugar price increases, we always import. We keep importing [sugar],” Bahlil said in Jakarta on April 29 Bahlil leads a task force formed by President Joko Widodo to allocate land for the project and streamline the licensing process for interested companies are confirmed to be participating in the 130 trillion rupiah ($7.9 billion) project One of the first orders of business is to rezone 419,000 hectares ( million acres) of forested area, six times the size of Jakarta, into non-forest area, thereby allowing it to be deforested — legally this amounts to 25,654 hectares (63,392 acres) of intact forest that’s been approved for clearing “These 25,654 hectares of natural forests are likely to disappear because the areas have been rezoned,” said Auriga campaigner Hilman Afif The large-scale deforestation to make way for sugarcane plantations will be at the expense of wildlife habitat and biodiversity, said Dini Hardiani Has, a forest management lecturer at Satya Terra Bhinneka University in North Sumatra. Papua’s rainforests are also among the most biodiverse on Earth “Species which need vast habitats to migrate look for food and mate will be affected,” Dini said “The wildlife will also compete [with each other for food] if their habitats are shrinking.” Activists have also raised concerns about the impact on Indigenous Papuans many of whom remain highly dependent on forests for their livelihoods have often been sidelined from consultation on development projects This is expected to be the case with the sugarcane project too given that it’s been designated a project of strategic national importance which under Indonesian law gives the government eminent domain rights to evict entire communities said the Indigenous communities should be involved in the decision-making process He said that while some of the companies in the participating consortiums had begun negotiating with Indigenous communities over the land acquisition process in 2023 they were accompanied by security forces — an intimidating sign in a region where the Indonesian state has for decades maintained a heavy military and police presence ostensibly to combat a low-level insurgency This means that even if the communities agreed at these meetings to sell or lease their lands for the project is displacing Indigenous peoples from their lands and robbing them of their rights told local media that his people were among those that hadn’t struck an agreement with the developers of the sugarcane project a company approached the clan and offered them 2 billion rupiah ($214,000 at the time) Petrus described this payment as a form of tali asih rather than the actual payment for the lease of the clan’s lands “At that time, there were verbal discussions [about the lease of the lands with the company], but there’s no written agreement yet,” Petrus told local media Bahlil said the government and the project developers would ensure the protection of the Indigenous peoples’ rights including their FPIC and fair compensation rights He also said they would benefit from the plantations through the profit-sharing scheme known as plasma in which a fifth of the plantation area would be allocated to community smallholders These farmers would receive training and support from the plantation companies which would also buy their harvests at a guaranteed price But the plasma promise is just that — a promise — according to Greenpeace Indonesia forest campaigner Nicodemus Wamafma citing the long history of the scheme’s failure to benefit communities That means there’s no guarantee the plasma scheme will work as intended in the sugarcane project “Indigenous peoples in Merauke aren’t used to work that requires intensive labor, including managing sugarcane plantations,” he told local media The choice of sugarcane rather than food crops that are native to Papua also underscores the government’s lack of consideration for the rights and cultures of Indigenous peoples in the planning of the project director of the Papuan chapter of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) “Why should it be sugarcane? The tribes of Marind, Mandobo and Awyu [in South Papua] don’t eat sugarcane. They eat sago. They still live with nature, hunting [in the forests] and fishing in the rivers,” he told local media Then there’s the question of whether the sugarcane project will turn into yet another boondoggle like many before it. Merauke district was the site of a similar megaproject, the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) Besides being used as cover to establish oil palm and pulpwood plantations the MIFEE project also became a “textbook land grab,” activists say companies acquired large swaths of customary lands without FPIC and without providing adequate compensation to communities Activists also blamed the project for the more than 11,000 fire hotspots detected there in 2015 as a result of burning to clear vegetation — a common practice in the palm oil industry in Sumatra and Borneo The failure of the MIFEE should have sent the government a clear message to not force large-scale plantation projects in Papua “Previous food estate projects run by the government have proven to fail and cause unmitigated disasters and the cassava food estate project [in Borneo],” he said blamed the failure of the MIFEE project on the fact that its developers planted seeds unsuited to the soil in Merauke He said the government had learned from past mistakes and wouldn’t repeat them again He also labelled those who critics the sugarcane project as being anti-development “There are groups or other countries that don’t want Indonesia to develop. Do you know how many sugars do we import? 5 tons,” Bahlil said during a press conference on June 7 “What will this country become if there are people who already protest [us] anytime we want to develop something for our own needs?” Activists say it’s doubtful lessons are being learned citing the palm oil affiliations of at least one of the companies now involved in the Merauke sugarcane project and the fact that the seeds being planted now still aren’t native to Papua PT Global Papua Abadi (GPA) is one of the companies that’s already started planting seeds on its concession in Merauke The seeds in question were imported from Australia and will take an estimated 11 months to grow to maturity GPA ultimately plans to produce 2.6 million metric tons of sugar per year The company, established in 2012, had approached the Indigenous Marind tribe in Merauke as early as 2014, according to a 2022 report on the sugarcane industry in eastern Indonesia by the NGO EcoNusa Official notary act shows that the majority of GPA’s shares (99.9%) are owned by a company called PT Mega Makmur Semesta which in turn is owned by individuals identified as Sulaidy and Hui Tin Sulaidy has been linked multiple times to the billionaire Fangiono family, which owns one of the world’s largest palm oil producers, First Resources. A recent investigation published by The Gecko Project a London-based investigative journalism outlet found corporate records that pointed to a string of long-running connections between Sulaidy and the Fangionos GPA’s notary act also listed an individual identified as Angelia B. Sudirman as the only director of the company. Franky of Pusaka said Angelia is believed to be a member of the Fangiono family This indicates that GPA might be a part of First Resources which has a history of clearing rainforests for oil palm plantations In a statement in 2018 First Resources denied having links to CAA and that First Resources doesn’t have any financial or operational relationship with CAA Franky said First Resources’ long history of alleged ties to deforesting palm oil operators should have prompted the government to be more cautious about involving GPA in the sugarcane project “The government should be more diligent and evaluate the companies [involved] because they  don’t obey [environmental standards],” he said First Resources said it had no affiliations with GPA “First Resources’ principal activities are within the palm oil sector and West Kalimantan provinces of Indonesia We would like to clarify that PT Global Papua Abadi is not a subsidiary of and has no relations with First Resources,” the company told Mongabay Deforestation for government programs like the Merauke sugarcane project is part of the larger “food estate” project announced by President Widodo in 2020 where large-scale forest clearing is legitimized under the cover of strategic national importance Among the “food hubs” designated under the project are the Papuan districts of Merauke where a combined 2.7 million hectares (6.7 million acres) — an area almost the size of Belgium — of land has been identified as potential plantation areas The purported strategic importance of the food estate project essentially means that any deforestation for the sugarcane plantations in Merauke will have been designed and legitimized by the government a campaign manager at watchdog group Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) “Natural forests in Papua are deliberately destroyed to be converted into plantations the sugarcane project and the food estate program are also further legitimized by being included in the government’s emission reduction strategy and climate policies as the crops they produce will be also used as energy such as bioethanol in the case of sugarcane said the government would mitigate the environmental impact of the sugarcane project by avoiding forested areas as much as possible denied there was much natural forest left in Merauke and that the sugarcane project’s environmental impact would thus be minimal “There’s no [natural forests] that we will clear,” Bahlil said the establishment of sugarcane [plantations] will create drainage to improve the environment So I think there’s no problem [of deforestation].” Yet the fact is that Papua is home to 38% of Indonesia’s remaining rainforests and the third-largest swath of continuous tropical rainforest on Earth This amounts to 33.8 million hectares (83.5 million acres) of forests which have been largely depleted by the same industrial agricultural forces now eyeing Papua the latter’s forests have remained largely intact due to its remoteness; the region’s largest city is two time zones and more than five hours by plane from Jakarta telecommunications and piped water have long rendered the region the least developed and most impoverished in Indonesia Astawa said initiatives like the sugarcane project aim to address this “The challenge lies in the distance [between Merauke and other parts of Indonesia],” he told Mongabay then [the supply chain] will be integrated We just need to strengthen the distribution [to the rest of Indonesia].” Banner image: A road cuts through a landscape denuded of forest in Merauke FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post