WALHI urges to reinforce Moratorium Policy

Until the deadline for the issuance of Presidential Instruction (Inpres) No. 8/2015 on ´The postponement of issuance of new licenses and improving governance of primary natural forest and peatland´ was over, the moratorium policy has yet to be signed by the President. Whereas a vacant time can be used by the capitalists who are in coalition with the political elite to consolidate their business. WALHI together with the CSO Network has submitted an assessment of the implementation of Inpres No. 8/2015 and assessment of the previous implementation process that is far from its main objective of revamping governance of natural resources, especially in forestry and peat swamp ecosystems. During the implementation of the moratorium policy, licenses were still being granted. The release of forest areas for other uses is still ongoing to facilitate land-based industries, oil palm plantations, industrial plantations, and mines. The modes encountered are, among others, through changes in subnational spatial planning. At least since 2000, WALHI conducted a logging moratorium campaign for the timber industry and then WALHI's campaign began to be accommodated by the government in 2010.

After the booming of timber industry, palm oil monoculture, and pulp and paper industries which continue to contribute to the massive deforestation, it takes quite a long time to convince the government that this is the stage for the structural reform of our natural resources management, while the government continues to rely on natural resources as the backbone of Indonesia's economy. In the aftermath of massive forest and peat fires occurring in 2015 in the provinces that always produce haze such as Riau, South Sumatra, Jambi, Central Kalimantan and West Kalimantan, it should be a starting point for the government, especially the President to seriously overcome natural resource structural problems. This problem cannot be separated from the economic interests that are so far dominated by most corporations with their businesses, which are carried out in the processes that violate law, legislation, and regulation. One of them is their concession area is in the peat swamp ecosystem. Therefore, the expected moratorium policy is not only to extend the moratorium for two years, and then to be extended again. But more than that, we need a strong moratorium policy, both within the context of its legal foundations, as well as the objectives to be achieved by measurable steps.

The moratorium policy is not just not to grant new licenses to the company, but also to be accompanied by a review of the old licensing and law enforcement. If the enforcement of the moratorium policy carried out simultaneously with active steps undertaken by the government for at least 25 years, the state can save natural forests, peat swamp ecosystems and other essential ecosystem areas such as karst that may exceed the target of the National Forestry Annual Work Plan 69.144.073. From the spatial analysis of RKTN and PIPIB, there is a potential of about 80 million hectares of protected areas. WALHI at the national and subnational levels, continue to encourage reinforcement of moratorium policy in Indonesia. WALHI position paper and the results of analysis on the implementation of moratorium can be seen in the detail at http://www.wp_walhi.local/2017/05/12/moratorium-25-tahun-mengdingg-deforestasi-and-complete-conflict/. Efforts continue to be made, including by conducting public campaigns and education, so that the voices and actions to save the forest and unique ecosystem areas such as peat swamps and karst continue to expand and strengthen.