Ray of hope for orangutans – official investigations start in Tripa

Apr 18, 2012

It is a case of deliberate and systematic violation of indonesian law: the land clearance through forest fires set by oil palm corporation PT Kallista Alam infringes the billion-dollar-deal with Norway as well as national laws, inflicting damage on one of the last orangutan refuges. Now Indonesia's Environment Ministry is pushing investigations leading to what might become a breakthrough for forest conservation.

It is a case of deliberate and systematic violation of indonesian law: the land clearance through forest fires set by oil palm corporation PT Kallista Alam infringes several national laws as well as the billion-dollar-deal with Norway, the climate agency in charge reports. A strict two-year-suspension on forest cleareance should have been the basis for the money transfer. 

The climate agency is now urging the Ministry of Environment and the Head of Police to conduct further investigations and to take appropriate action "to bring a halt to these activities and to penalize and recover the loss caused by the ecosystem degradation".

According to investigations, PT Kallista Alam has broken at least three national laws concerning plantation, Living Environment Protection and Management and  Spatial Planning.

International pressure is showing results

Along with other environmentalists, Rainforest Rescue made the oil palm company's crimes public two weeks ago and gathered more than 40,000 signatures asking President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the competent courts to enforce the existing environmental laws. Now, finally, theoretical justice could be put into practice in Indonesia. 

This development is a ray of hope for the unique ecosystem on Sumatra and for its critically endangered inhabitants. Furthermore, indonesian law enforcement would result in an important reduction of global climate gases. 

Sign the petition and read more about the Tripa peat swamp forest.