Jayapura, Jubi – Greenpeace Indonesia Forest Campaigner Nico Wamafma says it takes commitment from the central government and local governments in Papua to protect Papua’s natural forests. Currently, the remaining natural forests in Papua are 34.4 million hectares.
According to him, this commitment can be done by reviewing the licensing of forest area release for companies operating in Papua. Wamafma said the review was important so that forest area management licenses that are not managed are returned to natural forest functions.
“We need a strong commitment from the central government and local governments in Papua,” Wamafma told Jubi in a phone call on Monday, August 14, 2023.
Wamafma cited a review of the licensing of 24 oil palm companies conducted by the West Papua Provincial Government together with the Commission in 2021 covering an area of 576,098.84 hectares. From the review, it was found that approximately 33,369.98 hectares of area were still forested, and could be returned to the function of natural forest functions.
According to him, the central government and local governments in Papua need to limit the granting of licenses for land-based extractive industries, such as mining, Industrial Plantation Forest (HTI), Forest Concession Rights (HPH), and oil palm plantations, especially ss licensing for these companies did not provide benefits for indigenous Papuans.
