Thirteen Thousand Hectares of Indigenous Peoples' Primary Forest In the PT BAPP concession must be protected by West Papua Spatial Planning Revision Team

Consession area of Oil Palm Company, PT BAPP in Tambrauw District, West Papua. Indonesia

        Commitment of the Governor of West Papua Province to obtain 70 percent of protected areas in West Papua Spatial Planning Revision is quite strong and is always heard directly spoken by the Governor at the last few meetings. But until now the West Papua spatial planning revision team has not reached that percentage. Based on the latest spatial planning revised data, Percentage of protected areas is still at 56.14 percent. Reaching 70 percent, revision team must allocate a cultivation area (especially one that has a permit area) to enter into a protected area in spatial planning document. This work is not easy, requires carefulness in permit data and building commitment of stakeholders. The author intentionally wrote this article in the hope that it could be used by the spatial planning revision team who are jointly realizing the commitment of the Governor of West Papua Province.
          PT Bintuni Agro Prima Perkasa (PT BAPP) in Tambrauw District, West Papua might have been quite happy because it had obtained a Forest Area Release area for oil palm plantations that was wider than the area determined by Zulkifli Hasan, the Minister of Forestry at that time. On September 29, 2014, the Minister of Forestry signed a Decree on the Release of PT BAPP's oil palm plantations totaling ± 19,368.77 hectares. However, on the map attached to the decree there are ± 32,390.50 hectares of Forest Area which has been released as other use areas/APL. There are ± 13,021.73 hectares which should be able to be maintained as a Forest Area but the Ministry of Forestry does not seem to be researching this well anymore so this area has also changed to APL.
         Before the decree on the release of forest areas by the Minister of Forestry was set, on June 25, 2014, the Directorate General of Forestry Planning carried out the demarcation of the boundary and delivered a letter of the results of the boundary demarcation to the Minister. The letter stated that there were ± 13,021.73 hectares of primary forest that was excluded from the Forest area Release and followed up with the boundary demarcation. According to the author, the mean of the word "excluded" from the release of forest area means that this area is not part of what will be released as APL. The letter seemed neglected so that this area had also changed to APL.
         PT BAPP could have expanded its permit area by requesting an expansion of the ± 13,021.73 hectare primary forest. In November 2006 and 9 August 2007, PT BAPP made a request of ± 40,000 hectares, it is not impossible that this area would be targeted by the company. Moreover, legally, this area is not a forest area, it is very easy to obtain an operational permit. We also know together that the strong action of Mpur Indigenous Peoples is heard to stop the operationalization carried out by PT BAPP. It is time for the Spatial planning Revision team to save the indigenous peoples territory. This area can be included in the socio-cultural strategic area, it is hoped that after it is integrated in the regional spatial planning, it can become a priority for the government in the preparation of planning documents such as the Medium-Term Development Plan, Strategic Plans and Work Plans, especially to encourage recognition and protection as well as empowering the community. This protection can also contribute to saving Papua's Primary natural forests, known as the last forest in the World.

Reference:
-SK 738 / MENHUT-II / 2014 concerning the Release of the Forest Area for PT BAPP's Oil Palm Plantations
- Public Service and Spatial Planning Office. 2020. Revised RTRW of West Papua Province. Presented at the Sustainable Palm Oil Discussion at the Swissbel Hotel, Manokwari. February 19, 2020