Press Conferenced by Riau’s NGO

Press Conferenced by Riau’s NGO

JIKALAHARI (Jaringan Kerja Penyelamat Hutan Riau), Wahana Lingkungan Hidup (Walhi) Riau, Riau Mandiri NGO, Mitra Insani NGO, Kelompok Advokasi Riau (KAR), Kabut Riau NGO, PPR (Partai Persyerikatan Rakyat) dan Perkumpulan Elang appealed Certification Institute / LEI to cancelled in phase certification processes in Exploiting Everlasting Forest Plantations (PHTL) of PT RAPP Pelalawan sector (SK Menhut No.356/KPTS-II/2004).

Pekanbaru, Coalition NGOs’ of Riau exclaimed Certification Institute /LEI to reconsider certification process of PT RAPP Pelalawan sector (SK Menhut No. 356/KPTS-II/1997) extent of the plain 75.640 ha width in as much as the legal aspects about land certainty which is still not clearly yet. Industrial Forest Plantations Areas (HTI) belongs to PT RAPP Sector of Pelalawan for the width of 75.640 hectare have been ratified definitively by Minister Forestry base on Ministrial Forestry Decree No. 356 / Menhut-II/ 2004. If previously width of HTI PT RAPP areas only 159.500 hectare, consequently this Decision letter, specified HTI PT RAPP for the width of 235.140 of hektar.

Based on Image of Landsat 2007, area of HTI PT. RAPP Pelalawan Sector have been converted till 65.218 ha or about 80% from totalizeing areas. Where conversion begun since 2000 about 6.458 ha, mounting sharply year 2001-2002 for the width of 54,218 ha, 2003-2007 for the width of 3.924 hectare. "Permits was issued by Minister of Forestry at 2004, while according to field finding fact that conversion have been executed long beforehand" explained Susanto Kurniawan, Coordinator of Jikalahari.

Johny S. Mundung, The Director of WALHI Riau mentioned, " Concession of PT RAPP in sector of Pelalawan almost entirety (38.877 hectare of its areas) are inside protected area according to plan of Riau Planology /RTRWP 1994" furthermore Raflis, Yayasan Kabut Riau, added that " the overall condition of HTI PT RAPP areal are deep peatlands which is more than 3 metres and according to Precidential Decree (Kepres) No. 32 / 1990 must be protected.”

According to Technical Document of LEI-04 Assessed (Scale Intensity) Indicators of PHTL , Lands Certainty as forest Plantations is areal status of management unit to Utilization of Land (Utilization Forest / TGH, Plan of Province’s Regional Planology /RTRWP. On the other hand HTI PT. RAPP Sector of Pelalawan inside Covert Area pursuant to RTRWP Riau 1994, though according to Ministrial Decree Forestry No : 21/Kpts-II/2001 About Criterion And Standard Permission about Utilizing Effort Result of Forest Plantations from Production Forest, January 31^th, 2001, Criterion and Standard Permission to Utilizing Effort Result of Forest Plantations at Production Forest according to Utilization Forest (RTRWP).

Furthermore in Technical Document of LEI-04 Assessed (in Intensity Scale) the Indicators of PHTL mentioned , Lands Certainty as forest Plantations is the Existence of certainty guarantee for areal juridically and also minimize conflicts usage of areal in the future, because of that, every distorting of forest functions either because of arrangement changes and lands utilization have to immediately confirmed / to be re-specified. Boundary is one of the signals which giving a message that areal exsisted inside have been encumbered by certain function and rights. Coalition of Riau NGO compromised about Condition that has happened as HTI PT. RAPP Sector of Pelalawan, definitely specified as HTI on October 1^st, 2004 trough Minister Forestry Decree No. 356/Menhut-II/2004 and PT RAPP sector of Pelalawan have conducted conversions to natural forest at HTI areas before owning definitely permits.

The Coalition assessed that the condition is very impossible to keep executes the certification process to PT RAPP sector of Pelalawan and if it remains to be executed through PT Mutu Agung Lestari ( MAL), is the same meaning with justified illegal act PT RAPP Pelalawan’s sector. Moreover that LEI’s credibility will be questioned. According to this things, the Riau Coalition urge institute of to ekolabel discontinue process of serifikasi PT RAPP sector of Pelalawan beforehand to ascertain problems of farm status and permit of area of PT RAPP sector of Pelalawan ( SK 356/KPTS-II/2004).