Social movement improves paper firm's green awareness

Social movement improves paper firm's green awareness

With his dissertation Gerakan Sosial Baru di Toba Samosir:
Studi Kasus Gerakan Perlawanan Rakyat Terhadap Indorayon (New
Social Movement in Toba Samosir: A study case on people's
opposition movement against Indorayon) last month, Victor Silaen
obtained his doctorate from the University of Indonesia. In a
discussion with The Jakarta Post staff on Friday, including
Adianto P. Simamora, Silaen talked about the people's struggle
against pulp and rayon producer PT Indorayon, which is located in
Porsea, North Sumatra.

Question: What is the main focus of your dissertation?

Answer: I studied a social movement in Toba Samosir, North
Sumatra, in this case people's opposition to the giant Indorayon
company from 1983 to 2000. The company was set up in 1983 but in
1999 its operations were temporary halted following public
pressure. After a Cabinet meeting, Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri decided to reopen Indorayon, but this time it was
only allowed to produce pulp, and not rayon.

Why have you described the opposition to Indorayon as a new
social movement?

Theoretically, there are two kinds of social movements; the
old and the new. Old social movements are primarily concerned
with issues relating to economic justice. These movements are
heavily reliant on the power of mass action, that frequently hold
protests against high-level groups. Members of these kinds of
organizations are mostly farmers or laborers.

Meanwhile, new social movements struggle for broader issues,
such as human rights, or about cultural, social or environmental
issues. These movements depend more on networking than mass
movements. Members of these groups include businessmen, well-
educated people and prominent community figures.

In Indorayon's case, the new social movement has been
struggling for the closure or the removal of Indorayon from
Porsea. The movement uses their powerful links extending from
Porsea, Pematang Siantar, Medan to Jakarta, and even overseas to
countries such as Germany, England and Belgium, in order to
achieve their objectives. They don't stage many rallies but these
groups continue fighting for the closure of Indorayon.

Though they failed to achieve their ultimate objective (the
closure of Indorayon), the movement has made a great impact in
terms of the changes that the company has had to make. Indorayon
has changed its paradigms to be a environment-friendly company
producing only pulp products. The company has also applied more
sophisticated technologies to minimize pollution. The company's
management has also employed increasingly more local residents
that contributes some Rp 500 million (US$ 55,000) annually for
community development in that area. Currently, about 90 percent
of employees working in Indorayon are local residents.

How do you see the impact of Indorayon's presence on the
economic condition of local residents?

If we learn from the past, before the reopening of Indorayon,
the presence of the company caused relatively big losses to local
residents. For example, many people suffered from diseases, fish
were being killed, and the production of paddy continued to
decline. Farmers' income dropped sharply due to direct pollution
because 90 percent of local residents still depend largely on
natural resources to make a living.

Regarding the changes that were made by Indorayon due to the
new social movement, do you know of similar cases in other
companies in Indonesia?

Unfortunately, I have yet to see similar cases in other
companies in Indonesia. Indorayon case is very different; the new
social movement demanding the closing of Indorayon has been
struggling for about 20 years. The opposition comes not only from
local residents but also from other communities within and
outside Indonesia. As a result, the management of the company,
the government and the legislative, whether they liked it or not,
were forced to listen to the people's voice.

But why seemingly there is much less opposition now?

First, we must look back on the tragedy of 2002 when then
minister of manpower and transmigration, Jacob Nuwawea, gave
permission to reopen Indorayon. There were repressive measures
taken by the government and security officials who arrested some
people including a Protestant reverend and his wife, and who were
sent to jail. This incident might have discouraged people from
further opposition.

Second, Indorayon currently has been hiring more and more
local residents. The company is no longer as arrogant as they
were in the past.

I think these two factors were very significant in reducing
opposition to Indorayon. Today, opposition is only on a small
scale.

Do you think that changes at the national political level have
also influenced changes made by Indorayon?

Yes, the fall of president Soeharto in 1998 had encouraged
local residents to be more open in expressing their aspirations
for the closure of Indorayon.

Meanwhile, Indorayon's management felt that they couldn't rely
any more on the power of the government. That's why months after
Soeharto era closed, President B.J. Habibie ordered Indorayon to
temporary close. So national political conditions contributed
much to the reformation in Indorayon.

In your opinion, why doesn't Riau Pulp, which belongs to the
same company, receive the same kind of opposition as in Toba
Pulp?

This is totally different. The opposition to Indorayon was
very complex. For example, if one Batak, especially a well-known
figure, wants to fight for something, then he can very easily
gather about him many other Batak people to support his ambition.
That's what happened in Indorayon. The Batak people have unique
cultural tradition of Dalihan Natolu. This brings together many
people. We can't find this same tradition in places like Riau
Pulp or Buyat Bay in North Sulawesi.

What do you think to be the biggest contribution of this Batak
movement?

I think that the executive, judicial and legislative
institutions of Indonesia, and also investors, can no longer be
arrogant in responding to public demand. They also have to keep
on thinking and responding to public opposition.