STATE OF THE RAINFOREST 2014
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Court decided that what is called ‘adat forest’, or traditional forest, in the
forest classification system, should not be considered part of the vast
state forest, ‘hutan negara’. To what extent this ruling will strengthen
forest communities’ rights in practice remains to be seen.
Urgent
For people in Senamat Ulu it is urgent to secure their rights to the
forest. The reason is clearly visible in the landscape, as we climb the
hill constituting much of the village’s traditional forest. The view to
the neighboring hills reveals vast oil palm plantations, stretching into
the horizon. Further down on the hillside opposite us we can see
large scars in the landscape where an industrial rubber plantation
is being established. Parts of the forest land taken by the rubber
company belong to Senamat Ulu village, but the company refuses to
negotiate. As they control the bulldozers the villagers can only watch
the forest disappear. All they can do is keep trying to get the company
management to listen to them.
As we climb further up the hill, the diverse forest around us is
increases in density. The forest is strictly regulated by the village
committee, and no one is allowed to take trees without permission.
The striking difference between the village forest and the plantations
on the hills around it, illustrates the choice faced by Indonesia’s
government: To continue the rapid conversion of the remaining
rainforest into monoculture plantations. Or to work with local
communities to find ways in which to combine development needs
with the protection of the rainforest.
Datuk Rio explains
about rubber collection
and processing
