PEKANBARU (April 26, 2017) - Objections from the forestry and palm oil industries to immediately comply with regulations related to peat management and protection as outlined in Ministerial Regulation No. 17 of 2017 show their weak commitment to improving environmental and forestry management. It is time for the HTI and palm oil industries to stop gluttony and focus on supporting peat restoration efforts given the huge ecological, social and economic losses borne by this nation due to peat destruction.

"The resistance shown by business players in the forestry industry and oil palm plantations is very counterproductive to the spirit of improving the environment and its governance, especially the protection of forests and peatlands," said Riko Kurniawan, Executive Director of WALHI Riau. "The low commitment of the industry to concern for peat protection and restoration is quite alarming."

Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry number P.17/MENLHK /SETJEN/KUM.1/2/2017 of 2017 concerning Amendments to the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry number P.12/MENLHKi/2015 concerning Industrial Plantation Forest Development expressly regulates the obligation to restore damaged peat as well as the allocation of Peat Ecosystem Protection Function Areas in the spatial planning of the Timber Forest Product Utilization Business License - Industrial Plantation Forest (IUPHHK-HTI).

"Permen LHK number 17 is a correction to the governance of peat ecosystems in HTI areas, because peat damage has made the State and the region suffer from forest fires and smoke disasters that have not stopped for 19 years," said Riko Kurniawan. "The forestry industry's commitment to sustainability is proven to be just lip service when they always protest regulations that support forest and peat protection. In fact, this is the root cause of the rampant haze disaster and environmental damage that is extremely detrimental from all aspects."

In various media, the pulp and paper industry and the palm oil industry often lament the reduction of their management land due to Permen number 17 which, for example, protects peat ecosystem protection function areas within HTI concessions and prohibits replanting in these areas.

"The findings of our investigations repeatedly show the failure of HTI and oil palm managers to protect their concessions from peat canal opening, burning and encroachment," said Nursamsu from WWF-Indonesia. "The regulation of separating concession areas for restoration and protection functions of peat ecosystems is a solution in overcoming forest and peat destruction in HTI concessions. They should support and discard the old paradigm of running a business without paying attention to environmental and conservation aspects."

The EoF Coalition considers the news of many paper and pulp industry workers being laid off and performance declining to be nothing more than an old tactic of the HTI industry, as was also done during the 2007-2008 crackdown on environmentally damaging HTI concessions in Riau.

"We are not surprised that the issue of workers and communities around the forest, including the issue of declining PNBP and foreign exchange contributions from the two industries is again raised to threaten the Government, which is on the right track," said Woro Supartinah, Coordinator of Jikalahari. "We hope the Government is careful enough to see this, and remains consistent with its commitment to peat management and protection; because protecting natural forests and peat is also a long-term investment that will protect hundreds of millions of Indonesians from the risk of harm."

"We are not surprised that the issue of workers and communities around the forest, including the issue of decreasing PNBP and foreign exchange contributions from the two industries is again raised to threaten the Government which is on the right track," said Woro Supartinah, Coordinator of Jikalahari. "We hope the Government is careful enough to see this, and remains consistent with its commitment to peat management and protection; because protecting natural forests and peat is also a long-term investment that will protect hundreds of millions of Indonesians from the risk of harm."

For this reason, the EoF coalition recommends the following:
1. Minister of Environment and Forestry to strictly implement regulations related to peat management and protection.
2. President Joko Widodo to immediately issue a Presidential Regulation on palm oil moratorium.
3. The government to conduct socialization and awareness to businesses and the DPR regarding all new regulations on peat restoration and protection. 3.
new regulations on peat restoration and protection
4. Ask forest and palm oil business associations to actively support the implementation of regulations related to peat management and protection. 4.
related to peat management and protection.

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For further information, please contact:

Woro Supartinah: 0813 1756 6965
Riko Kurniawan: 0811 6900 097
Nursamsu: 0811 7582 217

About EoF
Eyes on the Forest (EoF) is a coalition of environmental NGOs in Riau, Sumatra: WALHI Riau, Jikalahari "Riau Forest Rescue Network", and WWF-Indonesia Central Sumatra Program. EoF has a network in Kalimantan (Yayasan Titian, Kontak Rakyat Borneo, POINT, Environmental Law Clinic, Gemawan, JARI Borneo Barat, Swandiri Institute and WWF-Indonesia Kalbar) and in Jambi with members of KKI WARSI Jambi. EoF monitors the status of natural forests in Sumatra and Kalimantan and disseminates the information to readers around the world. For more information about Eyes on the Forest, visit: http://www.eyesontheforest.or.id Email: editor@eyesontheforest.or.id

About Permen LHK no. 7/2017
Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation number P.17/MENLHK /SETJEN/KUM.1/2/2017 of 2017 concerning Amendments to the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation number P.12/MENLHKi/2015 and regulations related to peat protection can be accessed at:
http://www.menlhk.go.id/berita-164-kumpulan-peraturan-menteri-lingkunga…