Indigenous Moi People Refuse the Oilpalm Expantion

Sorong, 20 May 2016. Hundreds of Moi customary people in the big groups of young and old came and banged the doors of Parliament of Sorong District West Papua Province, voicing up their aspiration to stop the oil palm expansion in their land. "Without Oil palm we can live in our land, the forests has provide every thing for us and has make us survive until now" says the group in a loud. They added "oil palm not create welfare but in vice versa has implicates to massive ecological destructive and changing in social lives".

This protest was the accumulative of Moi people anger to the government and Oil Palm concession that disobeying the rights of Indigenous Moi People those who has refused for oil palm existence in their land. People from Klayili and Klamono says that been witnessing the destruction conducted by PT. Henrison Inti Persada (HIP) in their land and don't fell any social changes in term of increasing of economic Income. David Ulimpa - the clan leader then added "we asked the Parliament to chase government taken out the license been granted to PT. Mega Mustika Plantation to converting forests in Klasow valley. Because the community since 2012 until now has raised their disagreement to the this investment plan". Beside PT. MMP they also refuse for the new established license for PT. Cipta Papua Plantation that hold 15,000 ha of oilpalm concession in Moi Land.

Charles Tawaru, Forests Campaigner Greenpeace Papua whose also joined in the long march said that "This protests was the representative of bigger voices of Papuan to says they not want Oil Palm coming to Papua. Because it has clearly destruct the foods plots, secret place, hunting areas and water catchment that are crucial for their livelihood and culture".

Community aware that they needs development and they support the government initiative to speed up the development but should works on the path that recognize the existence and right of the customary right holder. The coalition of big capital holder with the politician actor in region has only prioritizing their economic and politic interests but more often disobeying the right of People and has work bellow good forests and land uses governance standard. Even a big question about sustainability objective. Internal report of young Moi groups noted that customary community never involved in the legal administration and concession contract process that happened between government and concession. Compensation as cost of the early impacts are mostly the worse last step that the they will always do after the contract even though this mostly not counting double and long term impacts on livelihood and landscape the community will faces during and after the operation of the concession.

Adam Klouw, the head of Sorong District Parliament who received this protests together with several other parliament members appreciated the diligent and critics that Moi People has and noted that the protests have been addressed to the right institution. He was also cried because customarily part of Moi people and part of those who have land in granted for concession. He said "the Parliament will make sure that this aspiration will be pushing up to the higher stakeholder. I expects we could work together in keep voice up the problem so it can be solved soon".

#SaveMoiLand#