Vice Governor of Riau Extinguished Haze in Tesso Nilo

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Rachel Flowers
6 years ago
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1 Vice Governor of Riau Extinguished Haze in Tesso Nilo As it is a dry season in Indonesia, forest and land fire still occur in some places. Tesso Nilo National Park is on fire again, the fire was first identified on Saturday (14 Oct) by the Tesso Nilo National Park Patrol team (collaboration between nature conservation authority and WWF) which was patrolling around the park. This finding then was reported to the head of nature conservation authority in Pekanbaru which then responded by deploying its forest fire fighter team to the scene. Meanwhile, WWF also communicated this finding to other related government institutions among others the Vice Governor of Riau as the Coordinator of Forest and Land Fire Management Center of Riau. For three days the fire fighter team had struggled to extinguish the fire which was predicted having engulfed about 50 ha of land inside the park. Meanwhile on the third day (Monday), WWF got information that the Vice Governor of Riau would have an inspection to Tesso Nilo on the following day. The Vice Governor of Riau is extinguishing the remaining haze in Tesso Nilo National Park( photo: WWF Ind-Tesso Nilo prog/ Syamsidar) Discussing about the location of the forest fire (photo: WWF Ind-Tesso Nilo prog/ Syamsidar) Early in the morning on Tuesday, accompanied by media and WWF team, the Vice Governor then headed to Tesso Nilo. Arriving on the scene, the Vice Governor had an explanation from the coordinator of the fire fighter team about the fire that they have managed. Fortunately heavy rain at that night had helped clean the remaining haze though some still existed. The Vice Governor was very concerned that forest fire still occurred in Tesso Nilo and asked clarification from the nature conservation authority (or known as BKSDA) about preventive measures that have been taken and problems faced. Lack of personnel to guard the park, open access to the park, and impact of RAPP s corridors are among the problems discussed together with WWF. The Vice Governor promised to coordinate the inputs and problems he got from the field with related institutions for follow up action in the hope that protection measures for Tesso Nilo are in place. He also gave suggestion that signing boards informing Tesso Nilo National Park and the proposed Page 1 of 6

2 extension should be put in many places around in the hope that they can anticipate encroachers doing encroachment in the park or the proposed extension. Since haze still billowed up from a few spots around the area, the Vice Governor then extinguished the haze. He hoped that with good coordination Tesso Nilo would be free from fire as it has biodiversity riches. District Head s Regulation on Protection of Sialang Tree is Soon be Implemented Since late 2004, WWF has initiated from the ground the issue of a regulation at district level to protect sialang tree (where honey hives) and its habitat. Community around Tesso Nilo actually has local or tradition regulation to protect sialang tree and its habitat. However some points in the tradition regulation now sometimes are neglected. The community themselves feel that they need this kind of regulation for the protection of sustainable natural resources which so far have supported their subsistence. Starting from the point on the community s need to protect sialang tree and the habitat, WWF then initiated the community to draft village regulation on this matter. In the progress then, community feels that this kind of regulation should be brought to higher level regulation so that the protection will be more effective, therefore the village regulation then is adopted for district head regulation. Draft district head regulation of Kuantan Singingi (a district around Tesso Nilo forest) was publicly discussed with stakeholders on Oct 18 to gain input for the finalization. This public consultation attended by Deputy of Kuantan Singingi district, related government bodies, community prominent figures, sub district heads within Kuantan Singingi district, and RAPP as a representative from company. Though the discussion went heated enough arguing about the draft regulation, the half day meeting then ended with some agreed points which actually give added value for the draft. This regulation among other rules that every person or institution is imposed to protect sialang tree and its habitat, area within the radius of 40 m from sialang tree must be protected, cultivation of sialang tree and its habitat cannot be done in a destructive way such as by burning and clear cutting the area that becomes the ecosystem of the honey bees. Important addition for the draft obtained from this meeting among other is that sialang trees existed in a plantation area must be protected in regard to this district regulation. If a plantation area has been harvested or replanted, the company has the obligation to not plant the area within 40 m from the existing sialang tree with plantation trees. Besides that if a company open a new area for their concession, they have to identify the existence of sialang tree around by involving community prominent figures. The result of this identification must be reported to district head. Page 2 of 6

With the inputs obtained from this meeting, the law bureau of the district government of Kuantan Singingi will finalize the draft which then will be approved by the district head and ready for the

A Bulldozer Found in the Tesso Nilo National Park Proposed Extension Was Detained October 12, a bulldozer used for encroaching in Siak Raya Timber concession (in the proposed extension of Tesso Nilo

3 With the inputs obtained from this meeting, the law bureau of the district government of Kuantan Singingi will finalize the draft which then will be approved by the district head and ready for the implementation. WWF will monitor the progress of this draft and initiate discussion with RAPP to replant sialang tree habitat that have been converted to acacia with fruit producing trees. A Bulldozer Found in the Tesso Nilo National Park Proposed Extension Was Detained October 12, a bulldozer used for encroaching in Siak Raya Timber concession (in the proposed extension of Tesso Nilo National Park) was detained by joint operation team consisting of nature conservation authority and military forces. BKSDA Riau responded WWF s information on the existence of this heavy equipment doing land clearing in the area. The heavy equipment and three suspects found on the scene were then arrested by the team. The team that arrived on the scene at 5 pm, immediately headed to the location of the heavy machine and interrogated the suspects in the field. From the interrogation, the suspects admitted that the land that they land cleared belongs to a staff of PT. Tunas Ganda Musimas who bought about 300 ha of land from community of Sungai Medang village ( a village around Tesso Nilo forest). They are only asked to land clear and do not know the status of the area. For further process the heavy equipment and three suspects were brought immediately at that night to BKSDA s office. The team arrested the heavy equipment and the operator for further process (Photo: WWF Ind-Tesso Nilo prog/ Samsul Komar) The team interrogated the suspect on their camp (Photo: WWF Ind-Tesso Nilo prog/ Samsul Komar) Page 3 of 6

4 A Land Selling Actor in Tesso Nilo Was Arrested Jaspun, one of the land selling actors in Tesso Nilo proposed extension area was arrested by Pelalawan District Police. He since then was put in jail for further investigation. WWF facilitates legal aid bureau of Riau and LALH, a local NGO to help Tesso Nilo Community Forum to sue the land selling actor in Tesso Nilo. As the result of the report, the police had made some verification to evidences that Tesso Nilo Community Forum supplied and then came up with the arrest of Jaspun. To shepherd this case, WWF facilitated some media to make coverage on this case. News clipping from related stories to this case then was distributed by Tesso Nilo Community Forum to villagers around Tesso Nilo in the hope that they understand that law process for illegal land selling in Tesso Nilo is on progress. Through this information, it is also hoped that it will give preventive impact for potential encroachers to not doing illegal activity in Tesso Nilo forest. On Oct 4, WWF was requested by the police to stand as a witness for the investigation process on Oct 9. WWF attended this call and gave some related supporting data and information on the involvement of Jaspun in land selling activity in Tesso Nilo forest. Besides that WWF also supplied information that the concession holder where the encroachment occurs has the responsibility to prevent and manage their area from encroachment. For further process as needed, the police will call WWF again to stand as an expert witness. Demonstration at the ASEAN Environment Ministerial Meeting October 13 in Pekanbaru, environment ministers of five ASEAN countries ( Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, and Thailand) attended a meeting to discuss about collaboration to handle haze problem in the region. On Oct 11, President of Indonesia had a restricted meeting with some of his cabinet s ministers which was also attended by governors whose provinces produce haze. This meeting was to discuss some measures taken to manage haze in Indonesia. One of the results of the meeting was a decision to hold a meeting among ASEAN environment ministers in Pekanbaru on Oct 13. Realizing that this ministerial meeting is an important moment to express aspiration and give recommendation to government to manage haze problem in Indonesia, NGOs( Jikalahari, Walhi, WWF, Tesso Nilo Community Forum and some other local NGOs) had a meeting on Oct 12 evening to discuss points that would be disseminated on the action in the following day. The meeting came up with some Page 4 of 6

5 Page 5 of 6 Sept-Oct 2006 points which appeal government of Indonesia and other ASEAN countries to immediately take strategic actions as follow: 1. Government of Indonesia should soon conduct moratorium on clear cutting natural peat land in all over Indonesia. 2. Government of Indonesia should soon conduct restructuring of capacity of the forestry industry especially for pulp and paper industry in all over Indonesia 3. Government of Indonesia should soon ratify ASEAN agreement on Trans boundary Haze Pollution 4. Force neighboring countries especially Malaysia and Singapore to stop receiving illegal timber from Indonesia 5. Push President of Indonesia to take strict actions toward heads of local government, heads of provincial police headquarter, attorney general of the regions which produce haze and illegal logging 6. Stop putting local community as the scapegoat for the actors of forest/land fire and illegal logging activities. Also soon make local regulation which rules land fire done by local community based on their local wisdom NGO network started the action in the morning in front of the hotel where the guests stayed. The demonstrators using masks showed up slogan, statement and caricature on related issue to forest fire and haze as well as distributing the fliers of the six recommendations above. In respond to this action, the head of Riau Police Head Quarter facilitated the coordinator of the demonstration to have a talk by phone with the Environment minister of Indonesia. The minister promised to meet the coordinator after the meeting. This action took a break for Friday praying. The head of Riau Police Headquarter requested the demonstrators to dismiss and promise to help facilitate the talk later on. After the Friday praying demonstrators came again to the hotel, but this time the police could not accommodate the action. With the reason for the safety of the meeting, the head of Riau Police head quarter himself dismissed the action. However the demonstrators insisted to conduct their action. Argues between police and the demonstrators occurred, as the result the head of Police Head Quarter then gave ultimatum if the demonstrators would not dismiss themselves the police would call them for law process or maybe arrest the demonstrators. Seeing the heated atmosphere the demonstrators then dismissed. Results of the ministerial meeting: First: The meeting agreed to take immediate collaborative action to handle haze issue. Second: The meeting recommended each country help each other to help managed haze problem in Indonesia. Third: The meeting recommended the importance of collaborative fund to manage haze cases in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Fourth: The meeting strongly recommended Indonesia to ratify ASEAN agreement on Trans boundary Haze Pollution into Indonesia regulations. Fifth: The meeting pushes other countries to record Indonesia s recommendation related to haze problem and encourage ASEAN countries to help them out. Sixth: The meeting agreed to conduct a workshop to manage haze issue in Indonesia in the beginning of November 2006.

This meeting also agreed to form Ministerial Steering committee to supervise the implementation of this agreement and to enhance equipments for prevention of forest and land fire.

establish human-tiger conflict protocols. WWF team had visited the BKSDA s office to meet the Head of BKSDA to discuss a plan of workshop before they then decided to hold the workshop in the field.

6 This meeting also agreed to form Ministerial Steering committee to supervise the implementation of this agreement and to enhance equipments for prevention of forest and land fire. Governments Should Address Themselves to Human-Tiger Conflicts A field workshop facilitated by WWF on September, 2006 resulted in joint recommendations on getting the government to immediately establish human-tiger conflict protocols. WWF team had visited the BKSDA s office to meet the Head of BKSDA to discuss a plan of workshop before they then decided to hold the workshop in the field. Wilistra, Head of BKSDA said to protect and preserve biological resources is an enormous task to be completed with cooperation of stakeholders. Presentation session from WWF team (Photo: WWF Ind-Tesso Nilo prog) Convening for a two-day workshop in Lubuk Kembang Bunga village of the Tesso Nilo National Park bufferzone, participants coming from NGOs, companies, universities, communities and WWF recommended the government on establishing a more comprehensive protocol and accelerating progress towards forming quick response units to work out with human-tiger conflicts. The recommendations will go to the Head of BKSDA when the workshop ends, a BKSDA senior staff Nukman told the participants. A protocol which was made by Sumatran Tiger Conservation Program is, in fact, useful. But the participants agreed to improve it by including the good things needed in the protocol like preventive measures. For this, the protocol needs to be reviewed through several small meetings. Participants of the workshop (Photo: WWF Ind-Tesso Nilo prog) Page 6 of 6

Tropical rainforest clearcutting by PT Arara Abadi (Distrik Nilo), a subsidiary of Asia Pulp Paper (APP), in Tesso Nilo block, Sumatra

Tropical rainforest clearcutting by PT Arara Abadi (Distrik Nilo), a subsidiary of Asia Pulp Paper (APP), in Tesso Nilo block, Sumatra Investigation by Eyes on the Forest October 2011 Published in February