Palembang, August 23, 2021 -- Over 30 civil society organizations on Monday sent a letter to investors of Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), part of the Sinar Mas Group, explaining why the expansion of APP’s OKI Pulp and Paper Mill in Sumatra, Indonesia would risk the respiratory health for millions of people in Southeast Asia and cause more greenhouse gas emissions than many countries on an annual basis.

Jakarta, 20 Januari 2020— Selama satu tahun sejak akhir 2018 hingga 2019, koalisi 9 CSO di Indonesia tersebar di 7 provinsi melakukan pemantauan dan kajian sebagai bentuk aksi korektif masyarakat sipil terkait kebijakan yang berhubungan dengan industri pulp dan kertas.

EoF News -- Today, WWF-Indonesia together with Auriga, Forest Peoples Programme, Hutan Kita Institute, Jikalahari, KKI Warsi, Rainforest Action Network, Titian, WALHI Riau, WALHI Jambi, Wetlands International, and Woods& Wayside International published Evaluating the Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Performance of Sinar Mas Group (SMG) and Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) Companies-Criteria and Indicators for Assessing and Verifying Performance.

Pabrik senilai $3 milyar milik Asia Pulp & Paper dibayangi emisi karbon dan ancaman kebakaran. Organisasi Masyarakat Sipil (CSO) mendesak APP berhenti mengeringkan lahan gambut untuk produksi tanaman serat kayu dan merestorasi area yang terdegradasi.

As APRIL has been officially banned from using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) trademark, leading environmental groups WWF, Greenpeace and the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) have called on other forest industry certification schemes to cut ties with the giant deforester.

Greenpeace, the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and WWF have claimed that the pulp and paper giant Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) is dodging an independent enquiry into its deforestation practices in Indonesia by withdrawing from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

At least eleven social and environmental civil society groups and networks sent a joint letter to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) on 24 April 2013, explaining the substantial social and conservation issues APP has failed to address adequately in its Forest Conservation Policy and associated documents.

At least sixty environmental and social non-governmental organizations sent joint letters to banks and financial institutions not to invest in increasing pulp mill capacity of Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) or other companies associated with Sinar Mas Group until “reforms have been achieved,” a press release issued last week said.

A coalition of Indonesia’s NGOs called Anti-Forest Mafia Coalition urged global pulp buyers last week to beware of allegedly corruption-tainted pulp products following an analysis of timber companies’ involvement in graft cases that jailed government officials in Riau province.

Civil society groups in Riau Province condemned violence shown by PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper (RAPP), a subsidiary and timber supplier of Asian Pacific Resource International Limited (APRIL) who violently dispersed Gunung Sahilan community’s land dispute protest on 6 March by hitting motorbikes and assaulted the locals.

PEKANBARU (EoF News )– A farmer was shot to death by police during a bloody rally in Jambi’s river that protested Sinar Mas / Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) pulpwood supplier’s takeover of 7,224-hectare land in 2001 as claimed by Senyerang villagers.

Walhi Riau, Scale Up, JIKALAHARI, Greenpeace and Forum Komunikasi Pemuka Masyarakat Riau (FKPMR/Riau Community Leaders Forum) ) paid condolences and strongly denounced the violent incident claiming one casualty and another one was hospitalized with heavy wounded in Kenegerian Pucuk Rantau village, Kuantan Singingi district, Riau province on Tuesday.

International consultants Tropenbos will facilitate a public consultation for a High Conservation Value (HCV) assessment for the APRIL pulp and paper operations in the Kampar Peninsula, Riau, Sumatra. This follows a similar consultation in Riau in February that was not attended by Riau based NGOs. For the same - and following - reasons, Greenpeace will not participate in this public consultation.

(THE JAKARTA POST/ 9 April 2010) -- Several environmental NGOs met Thursday to compile data on illegal logging activities at the request of the President, who has ordered sterner action against the environmental threat. The NGOs included Greenpeace Indonesia, WWF Indonesia, Forest Watch Indonesia, Sawit Watch Indonesia, Conservation International, Tropenbos Indonesia, the Nature Conservancy and the Center for International Forestry Research.

Indonesian NGOs today published a joint press release and open letter calling buyers and investors of Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) to stop doing business with the giant pulp & paper producer operating in Indonesia and China. The NGOs urged APP to stop the destruction of natural forests and peatlands, respect community rights and tenure, resolve existing disputes and retract misleading statements about their low carbon footprint.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)—‘Forestry mafia’ should be wiped out, environmental groups insisted, as corruption practices had influenced decision makers in issuing permit for clearing natural forest.

A massive logging operation planned by one of the world’s largest paper companies will destroy the forest home of 100 great apes that are part of the only successful reintroduction program for Sumatran orangutans, conservationists have learned.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)—New approval to natural forest clearing issued by the Minister of Forestry recently sparked criticism and protest by environmental as well as local community groups in Riau province, media reported Wednesday.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)— House of Representatives’ Commission III members visiting Riau Province today to verify for motive behind closure of huge illegal logging cases by the Riau Police in December last year. Tribun Pekanbaru daily reported today (06/02/2009) that at least 13 parliamentarians from Commission III handling legal issues would meet new chief of Riau Police Brig.- Gen. Adjie Rustam Ramdja here.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)— Environmental groups slammed the Riau Police and Prosecutors Office who closed the cases of 13 timber and pulp companies and pledged it would sue the police for the suspension.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)— Chief of Riau Police reaffirmed yesterday his strong campaign against illegal logging practices in the province following critics uttered by local NGOs as well as report by media that the forest crime widespread due to loosening control by the police.

PEKANBARU (EoF News)—Environmental groups in Riau urged Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) not to be discriminating in prosecuting those who allegedly involved in corruption case of Riau logging licenses.

Pekanbaru (EoF News)--- The Indonesian government regulation allowing conservation area to be rented for economic and business purposes have sparked protests from various sides as it showed the inconsistence of the administration to protect the decreasing forest areas.

Riau NGOs Network for Forest Rescue (Jikalahari), University of Riau and representatives of 3 sub-districts in Kampar Peninsula today call for a halt to conversion of peatland-rich forests in the region to avoid escalating carbon (CO2) release.

Riau NGO coalition calls Government to stop selling largest remaining natural forest block in Sumatra ’s Riau and Jambi: 130,000 hectares of Sumatran tiger and elephant forests under siege

Pekanbaru (EoF News)--- In a bid to provide a ‘common vision’ on pulp and paper industry globally, non-governmental organizations in provinces which host such industry started a two-day meeting on Friday here in setting up vision and mission to anticipating the industry’s growing problems. The meeting has theme Common Vision for The Transformation of Indonesia Pulp and Paper Industry towards Socially and Environmentally Sustainable Industry. Kabut Riau, Environmental Paper Network, CAPPA, Jikalahari, Walhi Riau and WWF Indonesia supported the meeting that attended by scores of NGOs from Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi and Kalimantan.

Several NGOs are calling on the Government to stop granting concessions for conversion and land clearing on peatlands, citing data that shows the major factor inciting this year's forest fires is forest conversion, mainly on peat soil sites.