Tension is increasing around global paper giant Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) pulpwood concessions in Indonesia. Lately, Indigenous communities have been facing recurrent acts of intimidation, criminalisation and episodes of violence have escalated, contributing to a climate of insecurity and constant threat.
Despite a commitment taken back in 2013 to respect local communities land rights, to implement Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and to resolve social conflicts, in recent months a row of abuses against local communities suggest that the company is turning back to its pre-commitment attitude.Last month, 90 NGOs sent an open letter to inform financial institutions supporting APP about the ongoing abuses in the Jambi province.
Following the latest episodes, APP distributed a statement to customers and business partners, denying abuses and claiming that the land conflict issues were resolved through mediation. However, there has been no mediation or negotiation, and the land conflict is simply not resolved, as confirmed by the detailed chronology put together by the local community.
Download the chronology here
