jakarta, Indonesia — Bentala Rakyat, an organization advocating for Indigenous ​Papuans, says palm‌ oil ⁣expansion in‍ West Papua is⁤ causing “ecocide,” as corporations profit from environmental‍ damage‌ and human‍ rights abuses. Tigor Hutapea, a spokesperson for the group, said large-scale deforestation ​destroys⁢ ancestral lands and⁤ livelihoods, posing an existential threat to Indigenous cultures.

Permits Issued Without​ Consent

According to Bentala Rakyat, by 2019, the‍ Indonesian government had issued permits to 58 major companies for⁤ palm ⁢oil plantations covering 1.57 ‍million hectares of Indigenous forest land. Hutapea said these permits were granted without the free, prior, and informed​ consent of affected communities, violating West Papua’s special autonomy laws.

The environmental⁢ damage is already devastating,even though⁤ only 15% of the ‌permitted area has been developed,the organization​ reports. Palm oil​ plantations have altered water ​systems, causing rivers to overflow during rainy seasons.Indigenous⁢ communities have‌ lost access to forests that provide⁣ food, medicine, and cultural sustenance, while monoculture crops have replaced ⁣biodiverse ecosystems, leading to the disappearance of endemic animal species.

Collusion Allegations

Bentala rakyat alleges collusion between‍ government officials and palm oil⁣ companies. In 2023, the organization supported the ⁢Awyu Indigenous people in a⁤ legal case against a Malaysian-owned ‌company. ‌The court found the government had issued permits without community consent,violating West⁤ Papua’s⁣ special autonomy laws.

Hutapea said these​ actions contravene‍ national regulations and international law, ⁢including ​the United Nations Declaration on‌ the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. despite legal violations, ​authorities continue ‌to defend these projects, citing ​tax ​revenue and economic growth, prioritizing corporate profits over Indigenous rights and environmental⁢ protection.

Crackdown​ on Protests

Bentala ⁣Rakyat reports a systematic pattern of human rights‌ violations against those ⁣defending ⁢their lands.⁣ Communities protesting developments‌ face arbitrary arrests, police intimidation, and‌ violence. Demonstrations are forcibly dispersed,⁣ and community leaders are threatened with imprisonment or ⁣falsely accused of disrupting development. Some‍ are⁤ labeled as separatists⁤ to delegitimize their activism.

Civil Society Tactics

Indigenous ⁢communities employ customary and⁢ modern resistance approaches. Manny perform customary rituals to reject plantations,⁤ imposing cultural sanctions.Together, thay engage with legal systems to challenge permit violations.

Civil ‍society organizations support these efforts through environmental impact assessments, legal advocacy, and public‍ awareness campaigns. A change.org petition gathered over 258,000 signatures,while the #AllEyesOnPapua social media​ campaign went viral,demonstrating growing international concern.

International Action Needed

Bentala ‍Rakyat calls for international consumer pressure ​to enforce laws preventing the import of products linked to human rights abuses and deforestation. They⁤ urge companies to divest from harmful‍ plantation projects that violate Indigenous rights.

The organization also seeks​ consistent international pressure on Indonesia to halt ⁢large-scale⁢ agribusiness expansion ⁣in west Papua and uphold Indigenous ⁤rights. Foreign governments must prioritize‍ human rights ‍and environmental‌ protection⁢ in their engagement with Indonesia.

Without concerted international ⁤action, West Papua’s forests and Indigenous communities face an existential threat,‌ Hutapea ⁣said.⁤ The destruction of this biodiverse region affects everyone.