Jakarta, the Bureau of Public Relations of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Friday, April 7th, 2017. The Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, received the news regarding the ratification of the Report on Palm Oil and Deforestation of Rainforests by the European Parliament in Starssbourg, while doing a working visit in Helsinki (04/07/2017). She provided clarification to the press during the signing of MoU with the Minister of Agriculture and Environment of Finland, Kimmo Tiilikainen, accompanied by the Ambassador of Indonesia for Finland, Wiwiek Setyawati Firman, on Friday (07/04/2017) in Helsinki.
Motion related to the report on palm oil is non-binding and will be submitted to the European Council and European Presidents to be followed up. Indonesia is specifically mentioned in the report, which says that palm oil issues are major problems associated with the corruption, child labor exploitation, human rights violations, indigenous rights infringements, etc. The study on palm oil will be released by mid-year and the European Commission will hold a conference related to palm oil. The negative perspective also expresses the need for investment diversion from palm oil to sunflower and rapeseed oil, as well as critics to the bank which considered to be supporting.
“The palm oil issue, in relation to the environment and forestry, is such a sensitive issue for Indonesia. Therefore, I have to respond. Indonesian palm oil industry is a huge industry that involves the livelihood of farmers, which covering an area of 11.6 million ha, of which 41% are planted with the crops of farmers or smallholders, with not less than 16 million farmers and workers from upstream to downstream,” said Siti Nurbaya.
She stated that the negative records in the motion were an insult to Indonesia and it was unacceptable. “The allegations saying that palm oil is a corruption, child labor exploitation, human rights violations, and indigenous rights infringements, are cruel and irrelevant accusations,” she said.
She explained that the Indonesian Government under the command of President Joko Widodo, is actually implementing sustainable management practices in the management of palm oil and other land-based industries and are being intensified. “The government’s concern is currently focused on sustainable development. As the orientation of the European Parliament and other countries in the world, Indonesia is also considered as the forefront in implementing Paris Agreement. And we have the ratification of Paris Agreement and other ratifications for sustainable development measures,” she added.
Moreover, Siti said that President Joko Widodo has been giving special attention to indigenous people. “The rights of indigenous people are given in the form of customary forest. The measures are still running, as well as in the overall management of peat and landscape. Therefore, I think the study on palm oil that has been presented is incomplete and the portrait of Indonesia in the resolution study of the European Parliament is inaccurate,” she explained.
She also added,”The vote of the European Parliament has, at least, disdained the sovereignty of Indonesia, because the have spread accusation and invited some parties to “boycott” the palm oil investment and switch to sunflower and rapeseed. I think this measure is not quite right. If the world considers Indonesia as an important part of the global environment and as the lung of the world, they must believe that Indonesia can solve their own problems.”
According to Siti, the issues are being resolved and have shown results. Indonesia’s contribution to the world in the environmental sector should also be recognized. Their efforts in coping with forest fires, managing forest, managing peat, preserving biodiversity, and preserving the habitat of Orangutan, Tigers, Elephants are the contribution of Indonesia to the global environment.
“It is definitely not easy for Indonesia, because if we compare Indonesia and Europe from the air, from the same altitude, then the range of Indonesia’s territory is equal to the area from Spain to Russia, around Azerbaijan. Indonesia is very huge. Therefore, the world should recognize the efforts and works of Indonesia,” said Siti.
“The resolution which contains disdain to Indonesia, country with the fourth largest population in the world, is not acceptable. Indonesia will be able to deal with any country in the world, when its sovereignty is disturbed,” she added.
Furthermore, Siti asked the business community, industrialists in Indonesia, to work properly, according to the regulation in Indonesia and not to be affected by the resolution of the European Parliament. The academics were also asked to be able to join in addressing this issue, and observing the allegations. She also invited the civil society and the environmental activists to see the subject clearly.
Regarding this resolution on the environment and forestry, Siti will report it to the President immediately upon her arrival in Indonesia, and will cooperate with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Minister of Trade. “I will study the relevant ratifications carefully and the implementation should not be detrimental to the public interests, as well as the interests of the country. The most important thing is the national interest. We should re-study and re-review if necessary,” she said. (***)
Source : http://menlhk.go.id/
