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.

Approximately 200 hundred residents of four villages in Merbau sub-district, Meranti Islands District, Riau, flocked in Lukit Village. It was Saturday, 12 October 2013, at 8 a.m, when hundreds of residents walked through the footpath surrounded by sago and rubber farm through the thatch heading to Tanjung Gambar, Lukit Village of Pulau Padang (island), Meranti district of Riau province.

Despite a restoration program organized by a company affiliated to pulp giant in Kampar Peninsula, Riau province, launched and endorsed by the Ministry of Forestry, environmentalists criticized it as a manuoevre by wo-faced company which merely seek benefit from credit carbon scheme.

Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) timber suppliers are protested by communities in several pulpwood concessions in Riau Province, Sumatra, early this month, over long-standing conflicts between villagers and companies.

Police planned to disperse residents of Padang island whom staged rallies and had been staying near House of Representatives’ compound in Jakarta for one month as eight hospitalized and one treated in a mental hospital.

The Indonesian Minister of Forestry suspended temporarily logging operation held by Asian Pacific Resources International Limited’s (APRIL’s) PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP) Tuesday in a concession situated in outer island Pulau Padang, Riau province.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)-- Residents of Pulau Padang of Meranti District urged Riau Legislative Council (DPRD) to help halt operation of PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP) in the island for land dispute and environmental concerns.