Jakarta- \u00a0Environmental NGOs including Greenpeace met with President Joko Widodo at the palace on Friday to discuss solutions to the peatlands and forest fires crisis. Following that meeting, President Jokowi held a cabinet meeting and issued a statement that there would be \u201cno new concessions on peatlands\u201d.<\/p>\n
Greenpeace Indonesia\u2019s Longgena Ginting, who attended the palace meeting said on Monday:<\/p>\n
\u201cIndonesia is in state of emergency with fires burning from Papua to Sumatra. The President\u2019s decision to fight the fires by protecting forests and peatlands and enforcing the law is a good first step. \u00a0Now palm oil and pulp companies, whose decades of forest and peatland destruction have caused today\u2019s fires, must respond in kind. Companies must work around the clock to put out fires, build fire breaks and block drainage canals. Everything else must be put on hold until the crisis is under control.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Indonesian people have a right to know what is happening on the ground. Companies must be transparent and support the President\u2019s One Map proposal by publishing all concession maps by the end of October. \u00a0Instead of attacking IPOP and other sustainable industry initiatives, the government should release the maps it has and name and shame companies that refuse to publish their own maps.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people of Indonesia and the Southeast Asia region should not have to endure another haze crisis. There must be an immediate, industry-wide moratorium on forest and peatland development. From now on, there must be a unanimous agreement that any company putting lives at risk by clearing forests will be unable to sell its produce. Companies that ignore the warnings and continue to destroy forests and peatlands must be held responsible for fires and haze engulfing Southeast Asia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Media Contacts:
\n<\/strong>Longgena Ginting, Indonesia Country Director, Greenpeace Southeast Asia
\nlonggena.ginting@greenpeace.org<\/a><\/p>\n