In response to the Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) decision to disassociate from Korindo for breaching the rules of its forest certification scheme, Kiki Taufik, head of the Greenpeace Southeast Asia forest campaign, said:
“The Forest Stewardship Council Board has finally come to its senses and decided to kick Korindo out of its forest certification scheme for deforestation and human rights abuses. It is better late than never.
“However, the Indonesian government keeps handing out forests to companies like Korindo, allowing them to violate the rights of Indigenous People and communities while they operate with impunity.
“It is crucial that buyers and certification bodies call out Korindo for its greenwashing and lack of transparency in its supply chains.
“There are 312 indigenous tribes, including voluntary isolated peoples in Papua, and to the date, none of them have obtained formal legal recognition and protection of their lands. The most important first step is for world governments to protect the environment and to recognise Indigenous land rights- specifically to put an end to land grabbing whether in Papua, in the Congo, or in the Amazon”.
In the wake of a joint investigation by Greenpeace, Forensic Architecture and the BBC, the Indonesian parliament launched an inquiry into Korindo’s conduct. The findings have not yet been made public.
Media Contact:
Kiki Taufik, Head of Greenpeace Southeast Asia Forest Campaign
E: [email protected]; M: +628118706074