[Manokwari, 14 November 2019] Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan supports the efforts of the West Papua Provincial Government, which has committed to protecting its territory by designating 70 percent of its land area as protected zones.
“The Manokwari Declaration, launched on 10 October 2018, contains 14 points of a shared vision for the Land of Papua. One of its key goals is to allocate 70 percent of West Papua’s land area as protected zones within the Provincial Spatial Plan. Based on existing land cover conditions in 2018 and the distribution of permits, Madani finds that West Papua has the potential to protect 62 percent of its land area as protected zones—provided that the government reviews permits across all sectors and safeguards remaining natural forests that are not yet under concession,” said Muhammad Teguh Surya, Executive Director of Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan, during the Workshop on Strategies for Economic Development in West Papua Without Deforestation, held in Manokwari on 14 November 2019. The workshop was organized by Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan and Perkumpulan Panah Papua, with support from the West Papua Provincial Government.
The total land area in West Papua that could potentially be designated as protected zones reaches 6,027,877.37 hectares, or 62 percent of the province’s landmass. This consists of 3,285,508.54 hectares already protected under PIPPIB Revision XV, 2,403,132.26 hectares of natural forest located within concessions, and 339,236.57 hectares of natural forest not yet burdened by any permits.
“For this reason, the West Papua Provincial Government must have the courage to initiate a new model of development for Papua—one that is more beneficial in the long term,” Teguh added.
Head of the West Papua Provincial Research and Development Agency, Prof. Charlie Heatubun, explained that an economic development strategy without deforestation should be grounded in a strong legal framework, and expressed hope that Yayasan Madani would follow up on this proposal.
“Papua’s development model, which relies on extractive approaches, has failed to deliver prosperity for local communities and continues to degrade natural resources. It would be far more beneficial to apply sustainable development principles at the village level, such as birdwatching ecotourism in Arfak, developing sago cultivation, and other initiatives. The income generated can be enjoyed directly by village communities, allowing the local economy to grow. In contrast, under an extractive model, wealth continues to flow out of Papua and is not enjoyed by Indigenous Papuans,” said Sulfianto Alias, Chair of Perkumpulan Panah Papua.
Contacts:
Muhammad Teguh Surya, Executive Director, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan
Phone: +62 819-1519-1979Sulfianto Alias, Chair, Perkumpulan Panah Papua
Phone: +62 811-5309-289Luluk Uliyah, Senior Media Communication Officer, Yayasan Madani Berkelanjutan
Phone: +62 815-1986-8887
