Forest Clearing did not Give Prosperity to Villages

Clearing did not Give Prosperity to Villages
Forest clearing for any estate investment or any wood processing at Papua had been giving no prosperity for villages. The activities impact most social degradations and culture of Papuan. The real impact is villages’ people difficult to get food, traditional medicine because their forest used for clearing.
This case discussed while researcher from Papua NGO Forum presented their research on The First Papua Forest Congress at Jayapura. The area is seven big cultural such as Mamta, Ha Anim, Momberai, Mee Pago, and Saireri. In administrative this area is Merauke, Boven Digul, Mappi, Teluk Bintuni, Teluk Wondama, Manokwari, Nabire, Dogiyai, Biak Numfor, Waropen, Mamberamo, Sarmi, Keerom, and Jayapura.
Ambrosius Degey, researcher for Mee Pago (Nabire area) presented Mee Tribes at Sukikai Cultural Area said land as Makikouko nimunetai amai. Its mean, land is mother who preserves peoples. ”Land or forest is our mom who giving food and traditional medicine for us. Land also our identity and our proud,” he said.
Degey explained this cultural wise started to move while village people look the forest/land as economic area. Impact, social conflict and people loosed tribe identity.
The coming of many wood company that offer big money force people hand offering their land for cutting. Unhappily, Degey said, people can not manage their money when chance their traditional habit to modern life.
Pastor Jhon Jonga, researcher at Mamta or Keerom areas said the same reports. He explained transmigration project and palm forestry that entering Keerom at 1985-1986 has made indigenous people move from their culture land.
Opening forest for Oil Palm Farming made people loose their sago, traditional food and animal to eat. Keerom Regent is 936.500 hectare that 9.300 hectares is Oil Palm farm.
“For 25 years Oil Palm management at Keerom, no one indigenous people got their right. Oil palm monopoly at the regent made farmer did not get money. About 95 percent areas is contracted their land to other people,” Jhon Jonga said.
People worry about oil palm also said by researcher Jago Bukit. His researches located on cultural area Ha Anim, Merauke Regent’s area. Jago said Sinar Mas Group, big company in Indonesia would invested on oil palm farming which an area 176.000 hectare at Edera District, Mappi by its sister company.
Jago Bukit explained owner of land at Edera, Auwyu Tribe, had been experienced on rubber plantation. Deutch showed the people long time ago. About oil palm, Auwyu Tribe had been learnt from Jair District at Boven Digoel. Jair ever accepted offering PT Tunas Sawaerma Korindo Group. This project did not give prosperous to people.