The Jakarta Post
Saturday, October 11, 2008
JAKARTA: International environment group Greenpeace has
uncovered new evidence of a massive project converting forest
area into palm oil plantations in Lereh area, Jayapura regency,
Papua, which it says will have catastrophic consequences for the
area’s residents and biodiversity.
“Just three months ago, this area, like much of Papua, was
pristine forest. What we see today is forest clearing on a
massive scale, including evidence of land burning to prepare the
land for palm oil,” Greenpeace Southeast Asia forest campaigner
Bustar Maitar said Thursday.
Bustar said palm oil companies had been amassing large areas of
land to be used for palm oil plantations at the expense of local
land owners.
The Lereh forests contains a wealth of primary sago and nipah
plants, which are crucial to the survival of locals, Greenpeace
announced.
The rapid expansion of palm oil plantations is the biggest
contributor to deforestation in the country, Greenpeace said.
Greenpeace campaigners are staying aboard ship MV Ezperanza
during their visit to Papua, which ends Nov. 15.
