Barabai, (Antaranews) - Indigenous Dayak Meratusin Hulu Sungai Tengah (HST) Regency, South Kalimantan, rejected thegovernment's plan to open the local oil palm plantations in the forests andmountains.
Institute of Indigenous South Kalimantan (Lembaga Masyarakat Adat Kalimantan Selatan) asked local government to reconsiderbefore opening a palm plantation in the mountains Meratus.
"The region is not without occupants but there are indigenous Dayakdwelling and if oil palm plantations only bring harm, we refuse," saidHadi Irawan, a representative of theinstitute in Barabai, the capital of HST on Thursday.
Plans of clearing forests for palm oil plantations by the local authorityrevealed when the Dayak Meratus caught two representatives of PT Agung LestariGlobalindo activities in indigenous forests February 3.
When questioned, they claimed to have been surveying and mapping coordinates tothe point of taking permission from the local district plan related to clearingforests for oil palm and rubber.
"Taking coordinates of points covering Banyu Panas, Patikalain Pantai Uwangand in sub-District Hantakan, all of which are residential areas of indigenousDayak Meratus," he said.
The local government plans to open palm oil plantation area of ​​22,000 hectares, which includes eight sub-districts.For the sub Hantakan covers 12 villages all of which are residential areas of indigenousDayak Meratus.
"Of the 12 villages, the company has done socialization in fivevillages," he added.
When meeting with the Institute of Indigenous South Kalimantan, the PR companysaid it would provide three options to local indigenous Dayak Meratus. The firstchoice is land compensation, second is plasma will be issued for existingplantation and third is a removal.
He added that the third alternative is quite confusing because there is noclarity.
"Does it mean removed from residential areas or how, it is not clear fromthe company," he said.
Hopefully, local governments undertake research paper prior to the plight ofindigenous Dayak Meratus before issuing a policy of opening oil palmplantations.
penerjemah: dani
