TAPOL Bulletin, No. 113, October 1992
The 83,000 inhabitants of Yamdena, an island of 320,000 ha in the
Tanimbars of south Maluku, are fighting to prevent the destruction of their
unique island in the name of development The government has granted logging
company PT Alam Nusa Segar the concession to exploit 164,000 of the 172,000
hectares of semi-tropical forests, as well as 30,000 ha of land for estate
plantations. These concessions all overlap with the decreed nature reserve
on the island. Yamdena islanders oppose the logging because: they believe
it will destroy the natural resources and their land.
The people have made such persistent protests, complaining at both local and national government level, that Forestry minister, Hasjrul: Harahap, was forced in June to postpone logging activities and review the concession. The Catholic church have now taken up the islanders' case, issuing a strong letter of protest decrying the physical harassment and intimidation of the islanders [Jakarta Post, 16.09.92]. Apparently police in charge of securing the business interests of FT Alam Nusa Segar have been beating up islanders: „They have acted with iron hands and extra-judicially against the people they are supposed to protect“, said Bishop Sol of Maluku. During a protest on 14 September, police reportedly „bit, kicked and even fired shots at the protesters“. Around 300 islanders were arrested, including a number of village chiefs accused of supporting the people.
[Source: SKEPHI URGENT ACTION, September 1992]
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