DPD Deputy Chair: Papua Exploitation Not New – Where Has Timber Gone?

Deputy Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) RI Yorrys Raweyai stated that exploitation in Papua is nothing new and has worsened in recent times. He made the remarks during a Forum Group Discussion titled ‘Trapped Between Two Weapons: Civil Exploitation and Papua’s Living Space Under the Shadow of PSN’ in Jakarta on Tuesday (26 May).

‘Exploitation in Papua is not new. It has been ongoing for a long time. We need to be aware of this,’ Yorrys said.

He explained that current exploitation is aggravated by National Strategic Program (PSN) projects for food and energy in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province. ‘The most severe issue now is the PSN in Merauke covering 2.5 million hectares. We have questioned this. First, why is it called unoccupied land? You know that Merauke, or South Papua Province, has a population of less than one million. Cutting down 2.5 million hectares of forest,’ he said.

According to the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation’s website, plans include developing sugarcane and bioethanol plantations managed by 10 companies over 541,094.37 hectares. Additionally, an agricultural land optimisation project involving irrigation channels, farm machinery, and management across six districts—Kurik, Tanah Miring, Merauke, Semangga, Jagebob, and Malind—covering 40,000 hectares (expandable to 100,000 hectares) by the Ministry of Agriculture, local government, TNI, and Agricultural Development Polytechnic (Polbangtan) students.

Another project, new rice fields managed by the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Agriculture, spans one million hectares, alongside infrastructure development for food security including 135.5-kilometre roads with a one-kilometre width in Ilwayab, Ngguti, Kaptel, and Muting districts of Merauke Regency.

Yorrys said he raised these concerns with the Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs (Menko Polkam). ‘I questioned Menko Polkam during our meeting. Sir, if this land is cleared for rice and sugarcane, where does the timber go? There must be deforestation and land clearing. Now, where is the timber? It’s not barren land like the Middle East where you just plant. It’s forest, which ultimately destroys the existing ecosystem,’ he said.

‘Therefore, I believe colleagues should continue advocating for greater attention to deforestation not just in Papua, but across Indonesia recently under the PSN banner,’ he added.

The FGD was attended by the head of Komnas HAM’s Papua Office, public lawyers from YLBHI (Legal Aid Institute of Indonesia), academics from STF Driyarkara, representatives from Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation, and central leadership from the Catholic Student Association (PMKRI).