Oil Palm Threat to the Auyu People’s Forest
Oil Palm Threat to the Auyu People’s Forest
Original:
http://suarapapua.com/2013/05/suku-auyu-terancam-kehilangan-hutan-alam-demi-kelapa-sawit/
Translated
in English by Awas MIFEE: https://awasmifee.potager.org/?p=338
[awasMIFEE
note: This report about a company which is trying
to
establish a palm oil plantation in Boven Digoel
Regency, which
neighbours Merauke, was written by a
Catholic Priest from the area and
published in Indonesian
by suarapapua.com. While we do not currently
have
information on this company, PT Modern Group, or their exact
plans
in Boven Digoel, it is extremely worrying that they
appear to be
distributing large amounts of money to local
villages, leaving the
villagers perplexed about what
might be coming next. Pastor Felix Amias
starts his
report with a description of the Auyu ethnic group and
how
they live.]
By : Pastor Felix Amias MSC *
About the Auyu people: History
It would seem that like many
other Papuan ethnic groups, the Auyu people
who live in
Boven Digoel Regency of Southern West Papua are not sure
of
their exact origins or history. What is certain is
that the Auyu people
now live over a far wider
geographical area than other ethnic groups in
the
Southern part of West Papua. Although their lands cover a
vast area,
the population is small, which means that much
of these expanses of
forest remain
untouched.
Socio-Cultural
Firstly; The Auyu people’s
culture is that of a peaceful people, both
within their
group and towards outsiders. They are a timid people
who
would shy away from causing harm to others.
In the
era of tribal wars before the arrival of government and
religion
(the Dutch Government in 1902, Catholic religion
in 1905 and then the
Indonesian Government in 1960 with
the TRIKORA proclamation), they would
only kill out of
self defence, and they never initiated aggressive
actions
to attack other tribes to take over and occupy their
land.
Their strongly held philosophical view is rooted in
a belief that humans
do not just shed their skin when
they are old and wrinkled and become
young again, but die
instead, and that is why tpeople are regarded much
more
favourably if they can manage to live peacefully alongside
others.
Secondly, the Auyu’s territory lies far from the
border between
Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, separated
by the mighty Digoel River,
which means they know little
about anything which might pose a threat to
Indonesian
State security, and especially have no involvement
with
separatist ideologies. This area has never had
anything to do with
anything connected with security
politics. This is one of Papua’s
peaceful
zones.
Until the present day, the Auyu people are still
very dependent on their
natural environment. They hunt in
the forest with bows and arrows,
scrape starch from the
sago palm, drink water straight from the forest,
and use
traditional methods to catch river fish (using fishing rods
or
blocking rivers with forest leaves when water levels
are high and then
picking the fish from the mud when the
water recedes). They know nothing
about nets, or fishing
using potash, electric shock or
explosives.
Leadership
The Auyu people distinguish
between three kinds of people who have
influence in
leadership structures.
First of all , Basing Maiyo (big
man). The meaning of the Big Man is
physical (healthy
body, rich in possessions because he is skilled
in
cultivating his garden and rearing pigs, owns a big
house, etc.).
However, part of the meaning is also that
the Big Man is someone who
wants to help people in
difficulty, their home is open to all, they
are
peacemakers etc. In other words, these people are
very suitable leaders.
Secondly, Basing Maiyo Kao/Vreyo
(Not a Big Man). Someone is described
as Basing Maiyo
Kao/Vreyo if their behaviour is incompatible with that
of
a Basing Maiyo. This type of person cannot become a
leader.
Thirdly, Oviyo (Majority of the people). People
classed as Oviyo are
those that do not behave either as
Basing Maiyo or Basing Maiyo Kao /
Vreyo. They live
ordinary lives, and have the possibility to
become
leaders if they build themselves up to become
Basing Maiyo (Big Men).
It can be seen from these three
types of individual that the Auyu people
have an open
form of leadership, where anyone can become a leader,
if
they fill the criteria for being a Basing
Maiyo.
Overview of the Natural Situation
The area
attracting corporate attention is Auyu territory in
Boven
Digoel Regency. This is wild forest which has never
felt the touch of
the outside world, which contains many
animal species (both in land and
in the water), many bird
species (that walk on the land, fly in the air
or live on
the water surface), including birds of paradise.
Many
rivers flow with exceptionally clean water (free of
viruses), and
importantly, many large trees in areas
which have never been logged
(including trees with
medicinal uses such as Masohi (a variety of
cinnamon) and
Eaglewood trees)
Widespread swamps containing spiked sago
palms remain the staple food of
local people. It is this
land that the company has currently got its eye on.
PT Menara Group arrives on the scene.
I make the notes in
this section as an indigenous member of the Auyu
ethnic
group, from Meto village, and therefore also a victim of
the
company’s takeover of our forests.
As Indonesian
citizens and members of society, we know that the
whole
country is governed by law, including laws about
forest management. We
also believe that the Indonesian
government will not bring misery to
its
people.
However, since early 2012, once I was no
longer in Papua (because I got
a new posting in South
Sulawesi), many people called me with their
worries,
because a company had appeared, its background unknown,
but
seemingly determined to exploit the forests and
unwilling to compromise
with local people.
How could
they not be nervous, when so many local people are
totally
dependant on their natural environment. They are
nervous because they
fear that their livelihoods are
under threat, and it could even mean the
destruction of
their entire world.
A few months later, the company
brought 10 people from several villages
to Jakarta along
with two policemen from Getentiri (sorry, I did not
make
a note of their names). It is still not clear exactly what
was
their purpose in Jakarta. As a Auyu person who is
also affected, I feel
that the company has the
mal-intentioned plan to manipulate local
people’s
goodwill for its own profit.
Auyu people are a peaceful
people, they have never been involved in
separatism, so
why is there the need for security personnel? Why
haven’t
some of the more educated Auyu people, such as
myself, been called upon
to speak on behalf of the
people?
In business the term ‘Permission Fee’
doesn’t exist, the word which is
used is
‘transaction’. Permission would mean ‘I can cross your
land and
won’t cause any disturbance, do anything or
take anything’. It would be
only permission to pass by,
and after that, you would be left alone as
before. A
transaction, on the other hand, means indigenous
landowners
and companies that wish to exploit the land
each reckoning or bargaining
what they could gain versus
what they will lose.
But this company, which wants to
exploit the Auyu people’s forest, has
asked for
‘permission to enter’!! What kind of logic makes them
use this
sort of language? It seems that they are trying
to manipulate the
kind-hearted nature of less-educated
people in order to reap their profits.
This company, that
wants to exploit this piece of untouched natural
forest
has already paid a ‘permission fee’ of 13.75 billion
Rupiah (1.4
million US$).
This money has been shared
between the different villages, including
where I grew
up, Kampung Meto. The data is as follows
- Friday 19 April 2013 in Anggai Rp 4 Billion
- Saturday 20 April 2013 in Getentiri Rp 2.5 Billion
- Sunday 21 April 2013 inHobnanggi Rp 4 Billion
- Monday 22 April 2013 in Meto Rp 1.250 Billion
Total Rp 11.75 Billion
Why should a
company be so kind and brave as to open up their wallet
and
share out so much money: 11.75 billion Rupiah? This
company wants to
develop an oil palm plantation, but if
they do that what will become of
all the forest wood,
which is full of top-grade timber?
Has the company paid
this ‘permission fee’ so that it can take wood as
it
pleases? What sort of transaction over the forest’s riches
has
occurred between the company and the people?
These
are questions which need serious and thoughtful
contemplation from
all sides, especially by the company
which seems to intend to exploit
the whole of the Auyu
territory.
Also the Indonesian government, both at the
central and provincial
level, and especially the Boven
Digoel Regency Government, should think
about, act and
take responsibility for the fate of their people.
*The
writer is an indigenous Auyu man from Meto village in Boven
Digoel
regency, Southern West Papua. He is a member of
the MSC order
(Missionariorum Sacratissimi Cordis),
currently serving in Palopo
(South
Sulawesi).
ENDS