Letter to Carter: On the NZ government’s inaction to illegal logging

30 January, 2010

Hon Mr David Carter,

Minister of Forests,

Parliament Buildings,

Wellington

Dear Minister Carter,

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee and Rainforest Action are shocked at the limp measures included in the Government’s recently announced policy to address illegal logging.

We believe that the policy measures are weak, non-specific and about talking rather than taking action. Many of the proposals are also dependent on the uncertain prospect that other countries will take the lead.   These soft measures are unlikely to have any impact on the regional problem of rampant illegal and unsustainable logging of precious old growth forests.  Nor will they stem the steady stream of illegal tropical hardwood imports into this country.

We fully agree with Government’s assessment that the key species of concern with respect to illegal logging practice is kwila (also known as merbau). However we strongly disagree that an approach which relies on a voluntary code of practice on the part of New Zealand importers and retailers will be effective.

While we are pleased that the Government supports the campaign for kwila to be listed on Appendix 11 of the Convention on Internationally Endangered Species (CITES) we urge that New Zealand take the initiative to bring this about rather than simply support the work of other countries and NGOs.

As you know, we have been researching and campaigning on this issue for several years, liaising with other environmental groups such as Greenpeace. We have developed a strategy of dialogue and demonstrations aimed at those retailers that continue to sell kwila outdoor furniture and kwila decking. While it is commendable that some furniture retailers have ceased to stock kwila products this is far from the complete answer.

Kwila decking continues to be sold by several major timber chains and is on offer at cheaper prices on the internet on sites such as Trade Me.  Some furniture retailers sell products which have no legality documentation or grossly inadequate documentation which does not include any independent third party certification of legality.

We are particularly concerned because we have found that most of the kwila products on sale in Auckland are sourced from Indonesian controlled West Papua.  West Papua and its neighbour Papua New Guinea hold the Asia Pacific region’s last significant tracts of undisturbed and unique rainforest.

The exploitation of West Papua’s forest is escalating because of the lure of immediate profits to be made by clearing out the forests and replanting with palm oil plants.

Late last year, a report from environmental groups Environment Investigation Agency (UK) and Telepak (Indonesia) revealed in their joint report  ”Up for Grabs” that  five million hectares of  land in West Papua are being targeted for deforestation by powerful  agro-industrial companies. These companies use all kinds of devious tactics to get the local people to sign contracts, all for the sake of lucrative palm oil plantations.  Often the clearing for new plantations takes place without any permits.

P.T. Sinar Mas, for example, is accused by Greenpeace as being responsible for illegal land clearing and for irreversible damage to forests and peatlands in West Papua as well as Kalimantan and Riau.  Unilever has suspended its purchases of palm oil from Sinar Mas in response to these credible claims.

In West Papua the logging industry is closely intertwined with the security forces. Local community groups in West Papua are trying to stop the destruction of their traditional land and their all important food basket, but they are isolated, lack resources and are subject to military intimidation.   It is estimated that 80% of the logging in West Papua is conducted illegally.

The respected international NGO Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org ) has just published a new report “Indonesia: Timber Corruption’s High Costs”  This report shows that corruption in  Indonesia’s forestry industry costs the Indonesian government US$2 billion  annually taking money away from essential spending on economic and social needs. The extent of corruption, conflicts of interest and poor oversight in this industry strongly suggest that there will be major difficulties for any carbon trading or REDD schemes in Indonesia.

The practice of illegal and unsustainable logging is driven by demand from wealthy countries where some consumers can afford attractive leisure products.  But tropical timber imports come at the expense of local industry and the livelihoods of workers.   A 2007 report commissioned by the Government estimated that illegal logging cost the forest industry NZ $266 million annually in lost revenue.

Both the European Union and the United Stares have begun to address this problem by regulation.  We therefore call on Government to adopt a strong regulatory approach which would prevent the sale of kwila and all illegally and unsustainably logged tropical woods.

Whether the ban is imposed at the border or at the point of sale, what is essential is that the forests of West Papua and Papua New Guinea are saved from exploitation before it is too late.

Yours sincerely,

Maire Leadbeater

On behalf of Indonesia Human Rights Committee and Rainforest Action

West Papua Report February 2010

This is the 69th in a series of monthly reports that focus on developments affecting Papuans. This series is produced by the non-profit West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) drawing on media accounts, other NGO assessments, and analysis and reporting from sources within West Papua. This report is co-published with the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) Back issues are posted online at http://etan.org/issues/wpapua/default.htm Questions regarding this report can be addressed to Edmund McWilliams at edmcw@msn.com.

Summary

Papuans have staged rallies in support of calls for a referendum on West Papua’s political status and to welcome efforts of international support groups. New research has pointed to the persistence and perniciousness of the Indonesian military’s illegal logging. A new attack on Freeport personnel re-enforces analyses that Indonesian security forces are orchestrating the violence. An Indonesian NGO and the Papuan branch of the Indonesian Human Rights Commission say that rights protection in West Papua declined in 2009. A Human Rights Watch report details rights violations in 2009. The Indonesian military has named a senior Special Forces (Kopassus) officer to head up the military in West Papua. The appointment conflicts with Papuan efforts to begin a dialogue with the central government and to demilitarize West Papua. The man chosen to replace independence leader Kelly Kwalik, killed by the police in December, has pledged to continue Kwalik’s pursuit of a peaceful dialogue with Indonesian authorities. The police who killed Kwalik have been honored for their action. The Indonesian government plans to ban more books, including some which address Papuan issues. The Indonesian Government is moving forward with plans for a “food estate” in West Papua which will expropriate land from local people and bring many non-Papuans to the site as laborers. A local union and others have condemned the plan as a “land grab.”

Click here for the full article: WPAT/ETAN report on West Papua Feb 2010

NZ Inaction on Illegal and Unsustainable Logging

by Catherine Delahunty

Cabinet decisions addressing illegal and unsustainable logging imports released last week claim to be a package of actions. In fact they are a long list of inactions.

The National Government has backed away from the previous Government’s 2008 requirement to label the tropical timber used in outdoor furniture – kwila – which is being illegally logged, particularly across West Papua.

Labour’s mandatory labelling requirement hadn’t yet been fully implemented, but it was a good start. Now National have ignored calls from the New Zealand forestry industry and environmental networks for regulation to stop the import of wood products from rainforests.

I am personally extremely disappointed because when my Customs and Excise (Sustainable Forestry) Bill to ban illegal and unsustainable timber imports was voted down, the Minister of Forestry, David Carter, told me that while he hadn’t supported the Bill, he would take action. He said he was aware that voluntary regimes to stop this trade were not working.

Yet Cabinet has decided that we should follow the Australian Government who have also just reneged on an election promise to act on the issue and decided that encouraging voluntary labelling is sufficient action.

One of the most offensive aspects of Cabinet’s decision is that in his paper to Cabinet – which I have read – the Minister states that no human rights are affected by this policy position. The human rights of the 60 million indigenous people worldwide who are affected by illegal logging clearly don’t matter to this Government.

The illegal timber trade is a bloody business costing human life, endangered species, and the environment.

Click here to read the full article: NZ Inaction on Illegal and Unsustainable Logging

Human Rights Watch 2009 Annual Report: Indonesia

Despite its growing reputation as an emerging Muslim-majority democracy, Indonesia saw little human rights progress in 2009. In July President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was reelected by a wide margin, providing him the opportunity to take more decisive action against impunity, religious intolerance, and other continuing threats to human rights. At this writing, there is little indication the government has the political will to do so.

Indonesia has a diverse and vibrant media sector, but freedom of expression continues to be undermined by powerful officials and business figures using criminal and civil defamation laws to silence criticism, and by repressive measures on expression in Papua.

Click here to read full article: Human Rights Watch 2009 Annual Report: Indonesia

Leading Advocate for West Papua self-determination dies

Viktor Kaisiepo at the United Nations in New York for a meeting of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Photo: Human Rights Film Festival 2009

Pacific Scoop:
Obituary – By Dirk Vlasblom in Amsterdam

Papuan human rights campaigner Viktor Kaisiepo has died at the age of 61 in Amersfoort, the Dutch town where he resided in exile from the land he loved.

He was an internationally renowned fighter for the right to self-determination of the people of West Papua, where he was born. Kaisiepo had been seriously ill for some time, his wife said.

In May 2000, Kaisiepo set foot on his native soil for the first time in 38 years.

In Indonesia, the political tide had turned, and then President Wahid gave Western New Guinea its old name back: Papua.

The indigenous people held a conference on the political future of the region and Viktor, then aged 51, could not afford to be absent.

Before flying from Jakarta to the provincial capital of Jayapura, he made a stopover on the island of Biak, off the coast of Papua. That is where the Kaisiepos come from and he could not ignore his ancestors’ request by failing to first tread on the land where their bones rested.

Click here for the full article: Pacific Scoop: Victor Kaisiepo Obituary

Photos from recent “Don’t Buy Kwila” demo

“Don’t Buy Kwila” demonstration in Auckland 30 Jan 2010

Indonesia Human Rights Committee (Auckland) and Rainforest Action had their first action for the decade against the sale of rainforest kwila, outside Devon Lifestyle, 308 Ti Rakau Drive. Devon Lifestyle are possibly the worst offenders in NZ in regards to manufacture and supply of kwila products.

Protect the Rainforest and the people of West Papua . Protect the climate. Save kwila from extinction.

John Pilger: Free the Forgotten Bird of Paradise

Click here for the full article: Free The Forgotten Bird of Paradise

West Papua Independence Day in Auckland

For raising their flag, West Papua people get imprisoned, tortured or killed by the Indonesian military. So we do it for them on the 1 Dec.

Indonesia Human Rights Committee NZ, 1 Dec 2009

Aksi Demo WPNA 1 Des 2009_Jayapura.wmv

Polimak, Jayapura on December 1st in the morning around 07:00 am