Lahan MIFEE di Merauke, Papua

VHRmedia, Jayapura – West Papuan People Front for Referendum (Perpera PB) claimed that the Indonesian Government has coerced the Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) to be implemented in southern part of Papua. SOURCE
The Front also stated that the program does not empower the Papuan People, but they have been pushed to receive this giant project.

Chairman of Perpera FB Selpius Bobi said that the Government has been overreacted by implementing this program. Meanwhile, they don’t acquaint the Papuan people with this project.

“The state pushed the Papuan people to receive this program. But they forgot that this land belongs to indigenous people in Papua, it does not belong to the State. This project will lead the Papuan people into poverty,” Selpius said on Monday (9/6).

Social gap would emerge if the project is forced to be implemented, according to Bobi. He estimated that chaos would be unavoidable if MIFEE has not been revoked from Merauke.

“I don’t understand why Papua is chosen as a business field of the Government. This project is not good for us, the Papuan people,” he emphasized.

In other place, Merauke Legislative Council refused the accusation saying that MIFEE would be damaging forests and indigenous people in Papua. The Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate is a superior program that is considered to enhance people’s economic rate.

A member of Merauke Legislative Council Hengky Ndiken said that the national crops program should be maintained, not criticized, by all people.

Only a fool resists the MIFEE program. If we think about it positively, this program will empower the life of the Papuan people,” Ndiken explained.

The Legislator emphasized that MIFEE will not use forests and the land of local people. It will only use thousands hectares of neglected land in Merauke.

“Merauke has very large amount of neglected land. This land will be used by the project. In term of that, forest in southern part of Papua will still be maintained.”

Indonesia’s Local Investment Promotion and Permit Agency (BPKMDP) of Merauke District stated that there are 32 companies has possessed permit to run the MIFEE project.

This project consists of oil palm fruits plantation (315,347 hectares of land), sugar palm plantation (156,812 hectares), corn (97,000 hectares), industrial plantation (973,057.56 hectares), crops plantation (69,000 hectares), wood chips processing (2,818 hectares), and dock building (1,200 hectares). Total large of land for this project is 1,616,234.56 hectares of land.

Many big companies are taking part on this project, including Wilmar, Sinarmas, Bakrie Sumatera Plt, Medco, Bangun Cipta Sarana, and Artha Graha. (E1)

Photo: VHRmedia/ Jerry Omona