As the Companies change, but the fate of indigenous peoples remains the same. It’s like it’s fallen, hit by a ladder again. Wood snares were taken away, only companies were angry, while people were still languishing on the spot.

PT. Wijaya Sentosa (Sinar WIjaya Sentosa Group) is a forestry sector management unit in Dusner, Teluk Wondama Regency, West Papua. PT. WS pocketed IUPHHK with SK. HPH No.SK.33 / Menhut-II / 2013 dated January 15, 2013 with a concession area of ​​130,755 Ha. The company operates in the former HPH concession location of PT. Wapoga Mutiara Timber Unit-I Wondama Bay.

Initially it was very confusing for the indigenous people in Dusner, whether this company was a PT. Wapoga Mutiara Timber (WMT) who returned in another name, or indeed a different company? After checking it turns out there is a namesake company in Yapen with the name PT. Sinar Wijaya Sentosa, a wood industry company (playwood). But no one claimed that the replacement company of PT. WMT is PT. SWS in Yapen.

This confusion eventually prompted the indigenous people in Dusner to send a letter to the Regent of Teluk Wondama and the Forest Service of Teluk Wondama Regency to ask about the status of the new company that replaced PT. WMT. Understandably, PT. WMT left very deep wounds. All the contents of the forest have been taken, but the community has got nothing, besides the church building which is always used as an excuse that WMT has done something in Dusner. Even the forestry minister wrote to the community through the role of the NGO PUSAKA Jakarta and its partners. However, it was finally answered by IUPHHK (01/15/2013) which was bagged by PT. WS. Whereas far before, PT. The WS has never negotiated with indigenous people about the price of timber and the compensation they should have received. The behavior of PT. WMT must not be repeated, therefore it must be in accordance with the principles of FPIC.

After that, several meetings were held between the Dusner indigenous people and PT. WS. Finally, it was agreed that the company would be willing to pay the appropriate compensation, but whether it was according to the company version, the indigenous people did not know.

Jack Imburi, an indigenous community leader and owner of customary rights in Dusner explained that every three (3) months PT. Wijaya Sentosa is shipping with a capacity of 14 barges. It was every 14 barges per three months that the community received Rp.1 billion. Each barge usually contains 5000 stems. Not only is the wood the size according to the rules, but the wood snares he also takes away. According to information from the company, the wood they brought was aimed at Serui / Yapen because there was a playwood industry there, while others were taken to Surabaya. It is clear that wood snares have been cut down because it is possible to fulfill Playwood raw material needs in Serui. In essence, PT. WS was far worse than PT. WMT in its operations, so there needs to be a coaching process or maybe a warning from the government, in this case the Forest Service. Unfortunately, there is also no attention from the government.

It is said that PT. Wapoga Mutiara Timber (WMT) Unit I is an IUPHHK-HA management unit in Wondama Bay. PT. WMT received permission from the central government in 1990 based on the IUPHHK Decree on Natural Forest No.744 / Kpts-II / 1990, dated December 13, 1990, with the concession area in Wondama Bay being 178,800 Ha. At that time, the Wondama Bay area was still part of the administrative area of ​​Manokwari Regency, Papua / Irian Jaya Province. PT. WMT operates until after the expansion of Teluk Wondama (2003) and is located within the West Papua Province.

During 2004-2006 was the time when all forest management units in Tanah Papua underwent an ‘hospitalization’ period as a result of the strong illegal logging operations when PT. WMT does not do the activity. Since then, when asked about its activities, the WMT has always said that it has not carried out logging operations since 2004. In fact, in the concession area of ​​PT. WMT is still continuing with logging activities.

On December 31, 2008, the Head of the West Papua Province Forestry Service ratified the 2009 Annual Natural Forest Product Utilization Business Plan (RKT) document with Ratification Number No. KEP 5221./1011. This ratification decision is the government’s response to the proposed RKT by PT. IUPHHK. WMT Unit I Teluk Wondama is in accordance with the manager of Forest Company PT. WMT unit I Number. 97 / WMT-I / XII / 2009 dated December 15, 2008.

Head of West Papua Province Forestry Service issued Decree No. KEP-522.1 / 1011 concerning Ratification of the Annual Work Plan for the Utilization of Forest Products in Natural Forests in 2009 while considering: Kepmenhut No. 744 / kpts-II / 1990 dated December 13, 1990 to PT. WMT Unit I that has been granted a Business Permit for the Utilization of Timber Forest Products (IUPHHK) in Natural Forests over a forest area of ​​178,800 Ha in West Papua Province. In addition, based on Minister of Forestry Regulation No. P.40 / Menhut-II / 2007 dated September 17, 2007, the obligations of holders of IUPHHK in Natural Forest have been established to make RKTs of Timber Forest Product Utilization Business (RKTUPHHK) in Natural Forests. Prior to the issuance of the decree, the West Papua Provincial Forestry Service Office had also researched and studied the truth and completeness of the ratification requirements based on Minister of Forestry Regulation No.P.40 / Menhut-II / 2007 dated September 17, 2007.

In addition to these regulations, as for the local regulations of West Papua province such as West Papua Governor Regulation Number 2 of 2008 dated January 2, 2008 concerning Regulations on Circulation of Timber Forest Products; West Papua Governor Decree Number 144 of 2007 dated October 30, 2007 concerning Standards for the Provision of Compensation for Indigenous Peoples for timber collected on the Customary Rights Area in West Papua Province; Technical Considerations Head of the Forestry and Plantation Office of Wondama Bay District No. 522.2 / 603/2008 dated 10 December 2008 concerning Utilization of Timber Forest Products in Wondama Bay. Another consideration is the Letter of the Director General of Forestry Production Development Number: SK.432 / VI-BPHA / 2008 dated 17 December 2008 concerning the Determination of the Provision of National Log Timber for the 2009 Period originating from IUPHHK-HA / HPH in each province in Indonesia, where calling the West Papua provincial quota 1,225,000 cubic meters.

According to the RKT Approval Letter of PT. WMT Unit I above, an annual felling of 3,950 ha and a total of 16,915 trees with a volume of 55,528.92 cubic meters spread over 40 felling blocks. Logging was also carried out in the Forest Clearing Opening Block (PWH) area of ​​12.80 hectares with a total of 418 trees and a volume of 729.51 cubic meters. Besides that, the use of felling waste with a volume of 8,438.76 cubic meters.

The company PT. WMT Unit I, always does not recognize that in post OHL I and II there is still timber exploitation in the Wondama Bay concession area. However, during the monitoring process, a number of secondary evidence and facts showed that in the post-OHL period, logging and utilization of timber products still occurred. On May 13, 2008, at Rasie-Teluk Wondama, the district forestry service issued a letter of recommendation No. 522.2 / 344/2008 to wood industry companies namely CV. Aitumeri having his address at Kampung Tandia, Wasior. In this recommendation, CV. Aitumeri made a cooperation contract agreement for the utilization of 8,920.78 cubic meters of waste wood in the concession area of ​​PT. WMT Unit I according to SK directives. Head of West Papua Province Forestry Service Number. KEP-522.1 / 7 dated January 8, 2008 concerning Ratification of the RKT of the Utilization of Forest Products in Natural Forests in 2008. Locations related to this recommendation are areas in Obo village, according to the Agreement Letter between CV. Aitumeri and Obo Indigenous Peoples (Riensawa and Werbete clans) on May 24, 2008.

On February 3, 2009, PT. WMT Unit I Basecamp Dusner in Wasior, Teluk Wondama with Director CV. Aitumeri signed a contract for the supply of industrial raw materials in the form of Wood Waste in WMT’s 2009 RKT area for the needs of CV’s raw material industry, Aitumery. The required amount is adjusted to the Waste CTR that was approved by the Forestry Service of West Papua Province, which is 8,438.76 cubic meters (JPT merbau x 15%). WMT was also willing to supply 2000 cubic meters of logging waste and 1800 cubic meters (3,800 cubic meters) of logging waste in the 2008 RKT area. On this basis, on May 30, 2008, the Head of the Wondama Regency Forestry and Plantation Service issued a letter No . 522.3 / 321/2008 concerning technical considerations in order to provide recommendations for principle approval to CV. Aitumeri in Teluk Wondama district. This letter was addressed to the Regent of Wondama Bay after reading a letter from CV. Aitumeri No. 03 / AM / V / 2008 dated 30 May 2008 with the aim that the Regent provide recommendations to Aitumeri to obtain an Industrial Business License (IUI) from the Governor of West Papua Province.

On December 20, 2008, the indigenous people in the village of Nanimori – Dusner, Kuri district Wamesa, Teluk Wondama, Nanimori Indigenous People and CV. Aitumeri signed the Minutes of the Waste Wood Processing Agreement. In this Minutes it was agreed that the CV. Aitumery is obliged to pay Rp. 200,000 per cubic meter paid for each shipment. In addition, it was agreed that the company would pay retribution to the village government treasury, provide assistance to the church and provide assistance in mutual cooperation activities in the village. But in reality, nothing at all. This is very regrettable by indigenous peoples in the Nanimori village.

On April 15, 2008, PT. WMT together with Indigenous Peoples in Nanimori village signed the Minutes regarding the completion of repairs and renovations of PMDH activities in the form of clean water projects in the Nanimori village which are the responsibility of PT. WMT Unit I. For the implementation, the company agreed to make a payment in the form of a work fee of Rp. 40,000,000 – to the indigenous people through representatives of the Indigenous Peoples’ Authority. But in reality, there is no realization.

PT. WMT obtained PHPL certification on September 15, 2010 with Certificate Number 02 / A-SERT / IX / 2010 by Ayamaru Certification. The PHPL certification process is carried out within the framework of fulfilling the requirements for IUPHHK-HA license extension. This PHPL certification was declared passed in accordance with the rules of the SVLK regulation Minister of Forestry Decree 38/2009. But on May 24, 2012, WMT’s PHPL certificate was frozen by Ayamaru Certification. Furthermore, PT. WMT “rolled the mat” and left Wondama Bay. Until finally Sinar Wijaya Sentosa came as a new player with old ways in the former WMT concession area.

In the end, Jack Imburi, an owner of customary rights to the forest in Dusner Teluk Wondama, could only say that “The Wapoga company can still work on selective logging, even if it does not replant. WMT in its operations does not broom the wood in the forest. if, according to the rules, it is prohibited, he does not cut it down, but now, Wijaya Sentosa is far more severe in the way it works, until the small size of the meshes were cut down and taken away by Wijaya Sentosa. will be angry while the local indigenous people will stay miserable on the spot.

*** JASOIL Coordinator for Land of Papua – Pietsau Amafnini