PT TPL Production Process Temporarily Stopped, DPR: The Government Must Audit Allegations Of Exploitation Of Excessive Forests

Lake Toba, North Sumatra/ILLUSTRATION OF UNSPLASH/Obviously Morariu

JAKARTA - Member of Commission XIII DPR Mafirion fully supports the government's move to temporarily suspend the entire production process, harvesting HTI, and transporting PT Toba Pulp Lestari Tbk (PT TPL/INRU) wood.

According to him, this temporary suspension should be an entry point to conduct a thorough audit of all activities of PT TPL, especially related to allegations of excessive forest exploitation and its impact on environmental damage.

Saya mendukung langkah penghentian sementara. Namun pemerintah wajib melakukan audit menyeluruh terhadap PT TPL. Bencana banjir dan longsor yang terjadi di banyak daerah adalah konsecuensi hutan yang berlebihan. Alam kehilangan ekosistemnya," ujar Mafirion kepada wartawan, Jumat, 12 Desember.

Mafirion said this termination was in line with the DPR's steps in processing the formation of a Joint Fact Finding Team (TGPF) by the Ministry of Human Rights (HAM) to investigate allegations of human rights violations by PT TPL against the Tano Batak Indigenous Community.

Mafirion revealed that representatives of the Tano Batak Indigenous Society and a number of civil society organizations had held an audience with Commission XIII of the DPR on Tuesday, September 9.

During the meeting, he said, indigenous peoples submitted various reports related to the confiscation of customary land, intimidation, and repeated conflicts over the years.

"The issue of TPL is not just a matter of the environment. There are social and humanitarian aspects that must be resolved. The state must not allow indigenous peoples to continue to become victims," he said.

Mafirion emphasized that the government should not stop at evaluating TPL. However, according to him, permits for oil palm plantations, mining, and other projects that have the potential to damage forest areas and watersheds must also be reviewed.

Evaluation cannot only be done on TPL. All permits related to forests and rivers must be reviewed. We must ensure that natural resource management does not sacrifice the safety of the community," he said.

Mafirion also assessed that the concept of Industrial Plant Forests (HTI) that had been implemented by TPL so far needed to be corrected. According to him, HTI should no longer be done by cutting down natural forests to then plant one type of plant, such as eucalyptus, which exacerbate deforestation.

First, the provision of the HTI concession must be fully evaluated. Areas that are still a dispute with the community, both customary land and individual land, must be resolved so as not to cause prolonged conflict," he said.

He also emphasized the need to protect water catchment areas, watersheds, and sensitive areas throughout the HTI area, especially in the Lake Toba area which has important ecological functions. He emphasized that environmental issues should be a priority.

Mafirion said that the series of floods and landslides that occurred in various districts in the three provinces could not be separated from the damage to forest cover.

"In the future, HTI will no longer be allowed to cut down natural forests. The focus must be on replanting in barren lands, including ex-HPH (forest Entrepreneurship Rights), ex-mining, and former illegal logging. We have a very large critical area to be restored," concluded Mafirion.