13 ORANGUTANS TRAPPED IN AE CORPORATION PALM PLANTATION, MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY MUST BE FIRM
Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) are urging the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to summon all of their power to save the 13 orangutans trapped in AE Corporation’s land in East Kutai, East Kalimantan. The pressure has been put on the Ministry through a demonstration in the lobby and grounds of the Ministry building in Jakarta. COP Activists wore orangutan costumes.
COP greatly appreciates the response from the East Kalimantan Conservation and National Resources Agency. The report was submitted on the 10th of March 2016, and immediately followed up with a field visit on the 20th – 21st March 2016. In this visit, although the team did not encounter the orangutans directly, four nests were sighted. This is an indication that there are indeed orangutans present on the land. With letter number S 330 / BKSDA – 1.4/2014, The Conservation and Natural Resources Agency (BKSDA) recommended that AE Corporation take an active role in the rescue efforts of protected wildlife within the plantation area, and other areas in which wildlife has been affected due to the presence of AE Corporation.
COP deems this recommendation to be insufficient. More proactive tangible actions are needed, as AE Corporation continues to publicly deny the presence of the trapped orangutans, through both media publications and official reports given to the Conservation and Natural Resources Agency and forwarded to various other parties.
Ramadhani, COP Managing Director gave the following statement:
“The denial from AE Corporation is an indication of bad faith. AE Corporation refuse to acknowledge their wrongdoings, which is dangerous to the orangutans that remain on their land. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry should not just blindly trust in the reports given by AE Corporation.”
“The Ministry must act quickly to send out a rescue team to help these orangutans, and an investigation team to uncover their crimes. Tolerance of cases like this in the past have sacrificed orangutans as a result of the expansion of palm oil plantations. At least 2000 orangutans have been evacuated to 5 Orangutan Rescue Centres in Kalimantan and this atrocity continues on. The main cause is the lack of firm actions against it, particularly from a legal perspective.”
“The eyes of the international palm oil industry are currently on this case. Golden Agri Resources (GAR) and Wings Food have confirmed that they have temporarily suspended their trading agreement with PS Group, the parent organisation of AE Corporation. Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) have also responded swiftly to this case. AE Corporations denial will only worsen the situation. Firmness from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry will improve the image of the international palm oil industry, which will ultimately have a positive impact on the national economy.”
For interviews and further information please contact:
Ramadhani,
Managing Director COP
dhani@cop.or.id
081349271904
For photo and video requests please contact:
Wahyuni,
Communication Manager COP
yuyun@cop.or.id
082143671729
13 ORANGUTAN TERJEBAK DI KEBUN SAWIT PT AE, KLHK HARUS TINDAK TEGAS
Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) mendesak Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan (LHK) untuk mengerahkan segenap potensi untuk menyelamatkan 13 orangutan yang terjebak dalam kawasan konsesi PT. AE di Kutai Timur, Kalimantan Timur. Desakan disampaikan dalam demonstrasi di lobi gedung dan halaman Kementerian Kehutanan di Jakarta. Para aktivis COP mengenakan kostum orangutan.
COP sangat mengapresiasi respon Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (BKSDA) Kalimantan Timur. Laporan yang disampaikan pada tanggal 10 Maret 2016 langsung ditanggapi dengan kunjungan lapangan pada tanggal 20 – 21 Maret 2016. Dalam kunjungan tersebut, meskipun tim tidak berjumpa langsung dengan orangutan namun tim menemukan 4 sarang orangutan. Ini adalah indikasi kuat keberadaan orangutan. Melalui surat nomor S 330 / BKSDA -1.4/2014, BKSDA merekomendasikan PT AE untuk berperan aktif dalam upaya penyelamatan satwa dilindungi yang berada di areal kebun dan areal berdampak bagi satwa sebagai akibat keberadaan PT. AE.
COP menilai bahwa rekomendasi tersebut tidak cukup. Diperlukan tindakan prokatif yang lebih nyata mengingat PT AE terus melakukan penyangkalan atas keberadaan orangutan yang terjebak. Penyangkalan dilakukan melalui publikasi di media maupun surat resmi ke BKSDA dan ditembuskan ke berbagai pihak.
Ramadhani, Direktur Pelaksana COP memberikan pernyataan:
“Penyangkalan yang dilakukan oleh PT AE merupakan indikasi itikad tidak baik. PT AE terkesan tidak mau mengakui kesalahan yang telah dibuat dan ini membahayakan orangutan yang tersisa di kawasan konsesi mereka. Tidak seharusnya KLHK mempercayai begitu saja laporan – laporan yang disampaikan oleh PT. AE”
“Kementerian LH&K harus bergerak cepat menerjunkan tim rescue untuk menolong orangutan dan tim penyidik untuk mengungkap kejahatan ini. Pembiaran atas kasus – kasus serupa telah mengakibatkan korban orangutan akibat ekspansi perkebunan kelapa sawit terus berjatuhan. Setidaknya 2000 orangutan terpaksa dievakuasi ke 5 Pusat Penyelamatan Orangutan di Kalimantan dan hal ini masih terus berlangsung. Penyebab utamanya adalah nihilnya tindakan tegas terutama dalam hal penegakan hukum.”
“Mata industri kelapa sawit internasional sedang menatap ke arah kasus ini. Golden Agri Resources (GAR) dan Wings Food dikonfirmasi telah memutuskan sementara kontrak dagang dengan PS Group, induk perusahaan PT. AE. Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) juga merespon cepat kasus ini. Penyangkalan PT AE hanya akan memperparah situasi. Sikap tegas KLHK akan memperbaiki citra industri kelapa sawit nasional, yang pada akhirnya berdampak baik pada perekonomian nasional.”
Wawancara dan informasi harap menghubungi:
Ramadhani,
Managing Director COP
dhani@cop.or.id
081349271904
Permintaan foto dan video harap menghubungi:
Wahyuni,
Communication Manager COP
yuyun@cop.or.id
082143671729
