24 Aug Expand and Evaluate Oil Palm Moratorium
KBRN, Pontianak: 19 September 2021, Palm Oil Moratorium will end. Several activists urged that the moratorium be extended again as well as to conduct a thorough evaluation and make improvements, considering that the governance of oil palm plantations still leaves various problems.
“For example, regarding transparency, how many companies do not carry out improvements, community welfare, conflict resolution, deforestation, including HGU,” said Agus Sutomo from Teraju Foundation in Pontianak, Tuesday (17/8/2021) afternoon.
So far, said Tomo, the government has not been open about the publication of the results of the palm oil moratorium which has lasted for more than two years. The Covid-19 pandemic that is still engulfing Indonesia cannot be used as an excuse, especially since the moratorium published in 2018 is also the second one, so we only continue with the previous policy.
Then Tomo explained that the Presidential Instruction Number 6 of 2019 concerning the National Action Plan for Sustainable Oil Palm Plantations for 2019-2024 actually strengthened the palm oil moratorium to be improved and also extended. What needs to be strengthened from the palm oil moratorium is that it can be connected with international agreements such as the mandatory Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).
“When there is a company that does not take care of its ISPO, what is it like? Then what kind of authority in that area? For example, when the provincial government has not received an update on the situation in the district, what kind of provincial authority is there to put pressure on the district because the authority for licensing oil palm plantations is still attached to the district,” Tomo criticized.
In addition, continued Tomo, all ministries or institutions related to oil palm plantations must also be able to eliminate their sectoral ego if they really want to realize sustainable palm oil development. This sectoral ego should be resolved by the Head of State directly because the palm oil moratorium is a Presidential Instruction.
According to Tomo, when the President assigns a minister to coordinate the implementation of the palm oil moratorium, the President must also be firm. For example, every three months or every six months, the minister’s report must go to the President and then announce it to the public.
“The President can directly give the mandate, he can also give the mandate to those who are assigned,” said Tomo.
Unfortunately, said Tomo, since the President signed the palm oil moratorium in 2018, the public has not received all of it. Although it is undeniable that the palm oil moratorium has brought positive changes such as delays in new permits, deforestation has begun to decrease and companies clearing land by burning have also decreased.
“One, the moratorium must be extended, the second is evaluated, which one is good to continue, which one is bad, it was asked, “why is this not achieved,” concluded Tomo
Adapted from: https://rri.co.id/pontianak/politik/1157838/perpanjang-evaluasi-motatorium-sawit
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