Jakarta. In response to the 'All Eyes on Papua' online campaign, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has stated that the government shares the indigenous communities' goal of preserving Papua’s customary forests. 

"The call from the online campaign is essentially the same as the government's position; there should be no deforestation. The government is against the conversion of primary forests into palm oil plantations," she explained after a meeting with the House of Representatives’ Commission IV in Jakarta, as reported by Antara News Agency on Wednesday (12/6).

Furthermore, Minister Siti revealed that the government has revoked forest area release permits originally granted to PT MJR and PT KCP for a total of 38,000 hectares in Boven Digoel, South Papua. These permits had been issued between 2010 and 2012.

Following the government's decision, both companies filed lawsuits to the Administrative Court, which were rejected. They have since taken the case to higher levels, and the legal process is ongoing.

The permit revocation was based on the directives of the Job Creation Law and Government Regulation No. 23 of 2021 on Forestry Management, which prohibits new primary forest areas from being cleared for palm oil plantations.

Minister Siti assured that her department is currently working through the Directorate General of Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership to grant the area status as an indigenous forest.

"As primary forests are no longer to be converted into palm plantations, we are indeed in the process of designating them as customary forests. That is the actual situation," she explained.

It is relevant to mention that in May, social media saw the emergence of the 'All Eyes on Papua' hashtag, highlighting the threat of converting 36,000 hectares of forest in Boven Digoel into palm oil plantations.

The indigenous Awyu people from Boven Digoel and the Moi tribe from Sorong, in Southwest Papua, have demonstrated in front of the Supreme Court to oppose the conversion of their forestlands.