PT PAL To File Lawsuit Against Mimika District Head

Timika, Papua, Dec 18 (Antara) - PT Pusaka Agro Lestari (PAL) said it will file a lawsuit against the Mimika district administration for revoking its license to open an oil palm plantation in the Iwaka forest area at the Trans Timika-Paniai highway, in the Papua district area. PT PAL plantation director Prabat Kara said here on Thursday the company has invested US$30 million in the project since 2007. PT PAL has held a concession for oil palm plantation with license from the central government in 2010 issued on recommendation from the Mimika district in 2007. The company has not only opened oil palm plantation but also provided jobs for local people, the Malaysian said here on Thursday. Mimik District Head Eltinus Omaleng said on Wednesday the license was cancelled as the plantation company had damaged the Mimika forest that serves as a buffer for water resources and ecosystem in the southern beach area of Mimika. "Our decision was made merely for the interest of the people of Mimika especially the Kamoro tribe in the coastal area. We see no benefit from the operation of the plantation company for the local people," Omaleng said. He said since he was installed district head of Mimika in September 2014 , he had received complaints and protests from the people of Kamoro, and Church leaders that they did not want oil palm plantation in Mimika. They accused PT PAL of being interested only in the forest trees which were sent out from Papua and that the plantation company had no intention of growing oil palm trees in its concession. The clearing of the forests from trees would threaten the existence of water resources needed by the local people, Omaleng said. Prabat said PT PAL holds the license to open 35,000 hectares of oil palm plantation, but it did not cut trees from flora and fauna conservation area forest of around 9,000 hectares. He said the company has complied with all regulations and met all the requirements. It even holds the land title for business use from the forestry ministry. It is also registered as a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, he added. Currently the company has provided jobs for around 1,000 workers mostly local people, he said. "We even build a school in cooperation with the district education and culture service," he said. In addition to investing US$30 million, the company spent more for providing 4,500 hectares of plasma farms, he said. "The company, therefore, would not accept the decision of Regent Omaleng, who officially revoked the license of the company on Tuesday," he said. PT PAL would demand compensation for all material and immaterial losses through court, he said. On Wednesday the regent said he would be ready to face any legal action from the management of PT PAL. He said he had asked the police and the military to ensure that the order to stop the operation of PT PAL is effectively carried out.