EoF files grievance report with APRIL’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee on violations of company policy
EoF News / 20 November 2014
EoF News (PEKANBARU) – Today, 10 months after APRIL published its Sustainable Forest Management Policy (SFMP) and established a “Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC)” to “ensure transparency and implementation of this SFMP”, EoF submitted its grievance report on APRIL’s flawed SFMP implementation in Pulau Padang to the SAC.
In the grievance report, EoF concludes that almost all of the natural forest clearance by PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP) in Pulau Padang is in breach of one or more government regulations and thus in violation of the SFMP, specifically, its commitment “IV.a. APRIL reaffirms its commitment to comply with all prevailing laws and regulations, and requires all its fibre suppliers to do so”.
The environmental coalition also concludes that all natural forest clearance by PT. RAPP in the fully peat covered Pulau Padang before and after 28 January 2014 was in violation of APRIL’s 2005 HCV protection policy as well as its 2014 SFMP. APRIL’s SFMP commitments violated include:
- “Commitment I.a. APRIL sources fibre from non High Conservation Value Forest (“HCVF”) areas that have been identified through independent HCV assessments, based on Indonesian HCV toolkit and peer-reviewed by HCV Resource Network”
- “Commitment I.b. From 28th January 2014, APRIL declares a moratorium in concession areas throughout APRIL’s fibre supply chain where HCV assessments have not been completed”
- “Commitment III.a. APRIL and its fibre suppliers protect and manage forested peatland areas identified as HCVF”
- “Commitment III.b. APRIL declares a moratorium on forested peatland areas, including canals and other infrastructure activities, until independent HCV assessments have been completed”
EoF investigation also finds that social conflict continues in Pulau Padang despite an SFMP commitment “V.b. APRIL commits to resolve any outstanding community conflicts in a fair and transparent manner with input and feedback from stakeholders”.
Muslim Rasyid of the coalition asked SAC to request APRIL an immediate full stop to all forest clearance and peat drainage operations in all concessions until all HCV assessments have been independently verified by the HCV Resource Network as committed in the APRIL SFMP.