Palm Farmers: Korindo Builds the Economy of South Halmahera
AKARTA, SAWIT INDONESIA - The South Halmahera community has denied accusations of international NGOs against Korindo operating in South Halmahera, North Maluku. Korindo's subsidiary, PT Gelora Mandiri Bangunan (GMM) is considered to have contributed positively to development and the local economy.
A number of international NGOs such as TuK Indonesia and the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) are seen as merely spreading lies among the Halmahera community.
"They (the Indonesian TuK NGO and RAN) lied to us about oil palm. Because oil palm plantations managed jointly with PT Gelora Mandiri Membangun (GMM) have spread positive results. Why do we reject it? Now we only want to work, "said Syahril, representative of the Gane community, South Halmahera on the sidelines of a recent meeting of the Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers' Meeting in Jakarta.
According to Syahril, the community, especially in Gane Village, has begun to realize the importance of oil palm for the welfare of the community. Initially, he and other residents were not familiar with oil palm plantations. But after further understanding, the community was more interested in developing oil palm plantations.
The community believes that with a statement from the Forestry Service Office of South Halmahera Regency in 2016 which confirmed that land clearing carried out by GMM was not burned.
Mahdi, Chair of the Gane Bersatu Cooperative, denied allegations that the company took community land without agreement with local residents. "It is not possible, because until now the people still want to release their land to the company," Mahdi said.
Meanwhile, the company always tries to maintain good relations with citizens. There was no violence, especially by the police as reported by NGOs.
Mahdi revealed, the community actually experienced development after KORINDO was present in Gane Village. He explained that before the existence of the company, there had never been a citizen who attended school up to college level.
However, after KORINDO was established, someone had started studying. The construction of inter-village road infrastructure and building infrastructure also began to develop rapidly thanks to the existence of the company. Although the company has only been established in the past few years, the company is considered to have helped the community with various CSC / CSR activities.
The two representatives of the Gane community, South Halmahera hope that there will be no more black campaigns that corner oil palm. Because the people of Gane support and assess that oil palm will benefit the community there in the future. The community also appealed to the NGOs to be willing to sit together with the community and the company to find a joint solution if needed.
Originally posted in Sawit Indonesia in Bahasa
AKARTA, SAWIT INDONESIA - The South Halmahera community has denied accusations of international NGOs against Korindo operating in South Halmahera, North Maluku. Korindo's subsidiary, PT Gelora Mandiri Bangunan (GMM) is considered to have contributed positively to development and the local economy.
A number of international NGOs such as TuK Indonesia and the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) are seen as merely spreading lies among the Halmahera community.
"They (the Indonesian TuK NGO and RAN) lied to us about oil palm. Because oil palm plantations managed jointly with PT Gelora Mandiri Membangun (GMM) have spread positive results. Why do we reject it? Now we only want to work, "said Syahril, representative of the Gane community, South Halmahera on the sidelines of a recent meeting of the Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers' Meeting in Jakarta.
According to Syahril, the community, especially in Gane Village, has begun to realize the importance of oil palm for the welfare of the community. Initially, he and other residents were not familiar with oil palm plantations. But after further understanding, the community was more interested in developing oil palm plantations.
The community believes that with a statement from the Forestry Service Office of South Halmahera Regency in 2016 which confirmed that land clearing carried out by GMM was not burned.
Mahdi, Chair of the Gane Bersatu Cooperative, denied allegations that the company took community land without agreement with local residents. "It is not possible, because until now the people still want to release their land to the company," Mahdi said.
Meanwhile, the company always tries to maintain good relations with citizens. There was no violence, especially by the police as reported by NGOs.
Mahdi revealed, the community actually experienced development after KORINDO was present in Gane Village. He explained that before the existence of the company, there had never been a citizen who attended school up to college level.
However, after KORINDO was established, someone had started studying. The construction of inter-village road infrastructure and building infrastructure also began to develop rapidly thanks to the existence of the company. Although the company has only been established in the past few years, the company is considered to have helped the community with various CSC / CSR activities.
The two representatives of the Gane community, South Halmahera hope that there will be no more black campaigns that corner oil palm. Because the people of Gane support and assess that oil palm will benefit the community there in the future. The community also appealed to the NGOs to be willing to sit together with the community and the company to find a joint solution if needed.
Originally posted in Sawit Indonesia in Bahasa