KONTAN.CO.ID – JAKARTA – Resolving the conflict over oil palm lands that enter the forest area is urgent. The reason is, this is considered to be the main driver of deforestation.
The characteristics of land tenure in different locations and the history of changes in government regulations also need to be considered in resolving disputes.
Director of SPOS Biodiversity (Kehati) Irfan Bakhtiar said, there are several options that can be done to resolve this conflict. It could be through an integrated team of spatial plans in the provincial area (RT / RWP) or it could be in the form of oil palm structuring in the forest area as well as agrarian data collection and reform through social forestry.
For Irfan, the recognition that oil palm is a forest plant can also be an option. Although it must be realized this policy is prone to face opposition from a number of groups.
“However, all parties need to work together to resolve the problem of around 3.47 million hectares (ha) of suspected plantations located in forest areas,” Irfan said in a Climate Corner discussion on Wednesday (10/23).
He added, the conflict over oil palm land was inseparable from the cleanliness of these plants, driving Indonesia’s economic growth and impacting on the shift in cultivation of a number of commodities.
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Previously, Assistant Deputy for Forestry Governance Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Prabianto Mukti Wibowo said the Government was reviewing several options such as the release of the area and the granting of a legal permit (land amnesty) to settle disputes of 3.17 million hectares of oil palm plantations.
“We are still discussing with many legal experts so that in the future it will not become a new problem and can be standardized in the form of regulations,” said Prabianto.
According to Prabianto, in making a decision, the government will consider many things such as the historical changes in government regulations at the time that allow someone or institution to build a garden.
“In principle, the policy must be pro-people and be able to improve the institutions of oil palm farmers and ensure that every plantation applies the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) standard,” he said.
Forestry and Environmental Law Observer Sadino said that the policy to permit one cycle of oil palm plantations or about 35 years is more acceptable to the community compared to bleaching, land amnesty and so on which in turn is difficult to execute.
This policy also shows the government’s appreciation of the rights of people who have tried legally and for generations in concessions that were later claimed as forest areas. Besides being practical, this policy provides legal certainty and business sustainability.
“Over the years, people have been confused and uncomfortable with the resolution of protracted land conflicts. In fact, the majority of licenses are obtained following law procedures through the local government. Unfortunately, these permits are easily broken only through a Ministerial ruling which has actually been canceled through a Constitutional Court (MK) ruling, “Sadino stressed.
Head of the Central Kalimantan (Central Kalimantan) Plantation Office (Disbun) Rawing Rambang hopes that the central government needs to immediately complete consistent regulations related to oil palm disputes.
The reason is that Central Kalimantan is the province most affected by the frequent changes in regulations at the central government level. “This is a major problem in Central Kalimantan and needs to be resolved immediately so that the community is not trapped as if it is destroying the forest as some parties have alleged,” he said.
Head of the Central Kalimantan (Central Kalimantan) Plantation Office (Disbun) Rawing Rambang hopes that the central government needs to immediately complete consistent regulations related to oil palm disputes.
The reason is that Central Kalimantan is the province most affected by the frequent changes in regulations at the central government level. “This is a major problem in Central Kalimantan and needs to be resolved immediately so that the community is not trapped as if it is destroying the forest as some parties have alleged,” he said.
Because new rules emerge, so those who are already active without release have entered the forest area. This can not be avoided and of course because of the rules published later.
Source: https://industri.kontan.co.id/