Meeting between representatives of indigenous people of Merauke and Boven Digoel unveiled the behavior of international NGOs such as Mighty Earth and AidEnvironment in Papua. The negative campaign of these two NGOs led to the community’s plasma development being halted. Representative of the customary rights community, Richard Nosai Koula, with 7 representatives of indigenous people from Merauke and 2 representatives of indigenous communities of Boven Digoel came to Jakarta to have discussion with Mighty Earth and AidEnvironment but until the event was finished, no representatives of the two NGOs came. The arrival of representatives of the indigenous people was to respond the community complaints related to the negative campaign conducted by the two NGOs has made palm oil companies in Merauke and Boven Digoel to halt the opening of plasma plantations for the community.
Father Felix Amias, Member of the Saccratissmi Cordis Missionary, said the NGO campaign should not be a decision-making instrument. If the community has agreed to establish a partnership with the company, on the other hand, if the company has followed the rules of local and central government, then, there is no harm to open the oil palm plantations in both regions. Previously, the customary rights owners have sent a letter to Mighty Earth and AideEnvironment in mid-July 2017. In the letter, the community representatives urged the two NGOs to stop interfering with the customary rights of people because those who feel the impact of the campaign are the people themselves, not the outsiders.
Source : https://sawitindonesia.com/
