Vanuatu’s capital of Port Vila has witnessed one of its biggest exhibitions of art, with around 5,000 carvings and woven Melanesian products presented for sale last week.
Local organiser Tyson Stanley Ghera told the Daily Post newspaper that it is the first initiative of its kind, organised between the sister cities of Honiara and Port Vila.
Mr Ghera said it was possible it would become a regular event to promote an opportunity for carvers and weavers of the two Melanesian countries to exchange skills, training and business.
Most of the products come from Marovo Lagoon in the Western Province of the Solomons, where approximately 70 percent of the people are carvers or weavers.
And changed the alarmism from global cooling to global warming, and now climate change.
Al Gore former Vice President of the United States of America
Although his science is often seriously wrong, no one can deny that Al Gore has a flare for the dramatic. Speaking about climate change in an October 12 PBS interview, the former vice-president proclaimed, “We have a global emergency.” Referring to the most recent UN climate report, Gore claimed it showed that current global warming “could actually extend to an existential threat to human civilization on this planet as we know it.”
Al Gore’s overblown rhetoric makes no sense, of course. Yet his hyperbolic claims beg the question: How did this all start?
Back in the 1970s, media articles warning of imminent climate change problems began to appear regularly. TIME and Newsweek ran multiple cover stories asserting that oil companies and America’s capitalist life style were causing catastrophic damage to Earth’s climate. They claimed scientists were almost unanimous in their opinion that manmade climate change would reduce agricultural productivity for the rest of the century.
The April 28, 1975 Newsweek proposed solutions that even included outlawing internal combustion engines.
This sounds very similar to today’s climate change debate – except, in the 70s, the fear was manmade global cooling, not warming.
TIME magazine’s January 31, 1977 cover featured a story, “How to Survive The Coming Ice Age.” It included “facts” such as scientists predicting that Earth’s so-called average temperature could drop by 20 degrees Fahrenheit due to manmade global cooling. Dr. Murray Mitchell of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned readers that “the drop in temperature between 1945 and 1968 had taken us one sixth of the way to the next Ice Age temperature.”
Global cooling gained considerable traction with the general public. But then, instead of cooling as long predicted by manmade climate change advocates, the planet started warming again. Something had to be done to rescue the climate change agenda from utter disaster. Enter Al Gore.
Al Gore Sr., a powerful Senator from Tennessee, saw to it that his son was elected to the House of Representatives, serving from 1977 to 1985, then going on to the Senate from 1985 to 1993. Gore Junior’s primary issue was his conviction that the Earth would perish if we did not eliminate fossil fuels.
Gore advanced to Vice President under President Bill Clinton, where he was able to enact policies and direct funding to ensure that the climate change agenda became a top priority of the United States Government. Gore’s mission was boosted when Clinton gave him authority over the newly created President’s Council on Sustainable Development.
It will come as no surprise then that, when the Council’s Charter was revised on April 25, 1997, the “Scope of Activities” included the following directionto the Council:
Advise the President on domestic implementation of policy options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Council should not debate the science of global warming [emphasis added], but should instead focus on the implementation of national and local greenhouse gas reduction policies and activities, and adaptations in the U.S. economy and society that maximize environmental and social benefits, minimize economic impacts, and are consistent with U.S. international agreements. The Council should, at a minimum, identify and encourage potentially replicable examples of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across diverse sectors and levels of society.
Considering that the Council was tasked with advising the President “on matters involving sustainable development,” and alternative points of view on the science of climate change were effectively excluded, it was a foregone conclusion that the Clinton administration would go in the direction Gore wanted. Indeed, in their cover letter to the President accompanying their 1999 report, Advancing Prosperity, Opportunity and a Healthy Environment for the 21st Century, the Council stated: “Our report presents consensus recommendations on how America can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and take other steps to protect the climate.”
A cornerstone of Gore’s strategy was to ensure that all high-ranking government officials who had any involvement with funding policies relating to climate change were in line with his vision. These agencies included the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, Department of Education, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
An example of his power was shown when physicist Dr. William Happer, then Director of Energy Research at the Department of Energy, testified before Congress in 1993 that scientific data did not support the hypothesis of manmade global warming. Gore saw to it that Happer was immediately fired. Fifteen years later, Happer quipped, “I had the privilege of being fired by Al Gore, since I refused to go along with his alarmism. I did not need the job that badly.”
Al Gore was also able to leverage his high visibility, his movie awards, his Nobel Prize, and his involvement in various carbon trading and other schemes into a personal fortune. When he ended his tenure as Vice President in 2001, his net worth was $2 million. By 2013, it exceeded $300 million.
Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, provided a series of graphic images showing the apocalyptic consequences that some had predicted if fossil fuels were allowed to continue warming the planet. Images included melting glaciers, dying polar bears, spreading diseases, coastal cities inundated by massive floods, cities wiped out by hurricanes and tornadoes, and food supplies exterminated by droughts.
This compelling propaganda played a major role in frightening an entire generation about the future, causing young people and many parents to feel guilty about the role that they and their country were supposedly having in destroying our beautiful planet.
Since then, Americans have been told constantly that they should feel irresponsible if they drive cars or use fossil fuel energy to heat their homes or power their businesses. A rapid, massive conversion away from coal, oil and natural gas to renewable energy sources such and wind and solar, we are told, is the only hope for saving the planet.
Now children are increasingly depressed about their future, thanks to the constant barrage of global warming propaganda that they receive at school. Indeed, they have become so brainwashed and cowed by their peers that they no longer dare to question any statement made about catastrophic climate change.
Yet, essentially everything in Gore’s climate change agenda is either wrong or highly misrepresented.
Now that he is President Donald Trump’s Senior Scientist for the National Security Council, Dr. Happer needs to show there is no “scientific consensus” on these issues, rekindle informed debate on climate and energy issues, and help bring hope, common sense and real science back into the discourse – to help end the dangerous mythology of dangerous manmade global warming.
A COUNTERFEIT operation involving the repacking of poor quality rice into Solrais packs has been uncovered in the Western Province resulting in the arrest of the shop owners.
The operation came to light after the SolRice management recently worked with undercover agents and the Seghe police to close down to the alleged counterfeit packing operation which has been operating from a store in Seghe, Marovo Lagoon.
The shop was alleged to have 19 cartons of counterfeit packaging and packing equipment ready to fool more consumers in the region into thinking they were eating Solrais, it was revealed.
“In fact, they were buying a poor quality substitute rice from Asia believing it to be Solrais which is an Australian rice of a much higher quality,” the report claimed.
The bags are clearly copies of the Solrais 1kg pack, as per the picture shown in this report.
General Manager of SolRice Nick Ellis told the Solomon Star while confirming the illegal operation said “this is an unforgivable, fraudulent act which intentionally deceives our consumers and we will not allow this to happen.”
He said they will track down all counterfeit operations and will, with the assistance of the police prosecute the offenders to the limit of the law.
Mr Ellis indicated that SolRice is aware of other counterfeit operations and is building a case against each prior to working with the police to raid the stores and arrest those involved.
“Let the Seghe example be a warning to these unscrupulous retailers and importers, that we are aware of what you are doing and we will protect our brand and loyal consumers at all costs.
“We advise strongly that the counterfeiters, no matter where you are in the country, to cease this highly illegal trade immediately as we will close you down and ensure you face court and the full force of the law,” he said.
When asked why the packaging is illegal, despite some subtle changes to the brand name, Mr Ellis said “these despicable people think that by making small changes to the packaging, they are protected.
“This is not the case. SolRice and our parent company, Ricegrowers of Australia, have trade mark and copyright protection and this allows protection from copies that may not be the same but look similar.
“This includes brand names, symbols, icons, logo’s, pack details and a number of other protections. In this case, removing an ‘s’ from the name Solrais, does not protect the perpetrators of this illegal act,” he said.
Mr Ellis said he was very impressed with the support shown by the Seghe Police team and the police prosecution unit in shutting down this illegal operation and capturing the evidence needed for a successful prosecution to come.
“Police in Seghe were helpful and proactive and were very professional in their dealings with my team and the alleged counterfeiters, who are currently in jail.
“However, I believe there are more people involved in this case and the other cases under observation.
“We want to arrest and prosecute everybody involved, particularly the big guns who supply the packaging and the poor quality rice that goes into it,” he said.
The SolRice General Manager also told the paper SolRice is aware of and watching very closely other cases, including a similar illegal operation in China Town, Honiara, one in Gizo and one in Noro.
He hopes to gather enough evidence to bring the police in on these cases also.
The Company boss said the public have also been critical to the SolRice success in closing down these operations so far, by reporting the fake Solrais to their team when they find it in shops across the country.
He warned Solrais consumers to be careful when purchasing Solrais 1kg and ensure they purchase only the original Solrais.
He asks that consumers gather evidence and report any suspicious activity or packaging, to SolRice if they see it or buy it.
POLICE and soldiers contained a tribal fight that broke out in Hela last week in which three men were killed, says provincial police commander Martin Lakari.
He said police and soldiers were sent to Tari when the fight started between two tribes.
“It is best for everyone to contain law-and-order by living in peace,” Lakari said.
The cause of the fight is known to them but they are not telling us.”
Meanwhile, deputy governor Thomas Potape has praised the work of soldiers and police officers engaged in the PNG LNG project sites in the province.
Potape said the first lot of soldiers engaged in the disaster operations in the PNG LNG operation sites at Angore, Yuni, Hides Four and Komo airfield had done a tremendous job in addressing law and order, particularly tribal fights.
Potape, the president of the Komo local level government, said tribal fighting was a serious hindrance to progress and development.
He said the engagement of soldiers and members of the police mobile squad based in and around the PNG LNG sites had really helped in reducing tribal fights.
“Now school children can move freely and the mothers can go to the market without fear,” he said.
“Warlords who moved around with guns and weapons like bush knives are now rare.
“That is what the people want. They want to live in a peaceful society that is free of threat and intimidation.”
Oleh Veronika Kusumaryati, PhD dan Litbang Tabloid Jubi
BANYAK lagu populer di Papua bicara soal tanah. Berpuluh-puluh puisi pun ditulis tentangnya. Tak terhitung tulisan dan status sosial di media. Tanah, kata orang Papua adalah mama. Ia adalah sumber kehidupan orang Papua, dasar budaya hampir seluruh suku di Papua, dan tentu saja sumber imajinasi kebangsaan dan masa depan orang Papua. Berbagai penelitian pun telah dilakukan untuk melihat peran penting tanah bagi orang Papua. Sayangnya penelitian-penelitian itu, terutama yang terjadi belakangan ini, banyak yang bertujuan hanya untuk mengeksploitasi tanah orang Papua. Tak mengherankan karena penelitian-penelitian itu banyak dibiayai oleh pemerintah Indonesia, dan perusahaan-perusahaan kelapa sawit dan tambang. LSM-LSM kini juga terlibat dalam proses-proses penelitian dan pemetaan tanah orang Papua. Sayangnya LSM-LSM itu, kendati sebagian bermaksud membela kepentingan orang Papua, memakai kerangka berpikir yang justru mendukung komodifikasi tanah seperti yang dilakukan oleh aparat negara dan perusahaan. Sebagian dari usaha-usaha ini ditujukan untuk mengadvokasi kepentingan orang Papua, tapi ada juga proyek-proyek pemetaan yang dilakukan LSM yang akan digunakan untuk proyek-proyek skala besar dan internasional seperti yang dilakukan untuk Bank Dunia.
Bersama tim penelitian dan pengembangan Tabloid Jubi, saya melakukan penelitian mengenai sejarah penguasaan tanah di Papua karena kami pikir orang Papua mesti mengetahui sejarahnya sendiri, selain supaya kita bisa memahami perubahan besar-besaran yang sedang terjadi yang menarget tanah dan manusia Papua. Penelitian yang bersifat pendahuluan ini juga akan kami buka seluas-luasnya supaya masyarakat Papua bisa berpartisipasi, bukan hanya sebagai konsumen data tapi juga sebagai penciptanya. Diharapkan penelitian ini akan mengawali minat baru pada penelitian kritis tentang masalah penguasaan tanah sebagai salah satu aspek paling penting dari masalah yang dihadapi bangsa Papua.
Penelitian pendahuluan ini sendiri ingin melihat sejarah penguasaan tanah di Papua, mulai dari masa pra-kolonial ketika semua tanah di Papua menjadi milik orang Papua hingga sekarang ini ketika tanah-tanah orang Papua banyak diambil, baik dengan pembelian melalui kesepakatan, pembelian lewat penipuan, hingga paksaan, untuk proyek-proyek negara Indonesia, pertambangan, perkebunan dan jenis-jenis investasi-investasi lain, dan proyek keamanan Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) dan Kepolisian Indonesia. Secara waktu, cakupan penelitian ini mencakup masa 200 tahun, yaitu sejak masa kedatangan kolonial Eropa sampai masa Indonesia sekarang ini.
Kami mengolah data dari berbagai sumber, baik dari Tanah Papua, Indonesia, maupun referensi-referensi dari luar negeri. Kami mengumpulkan laporan-laporan LSM, terutama LSM lingkungan tentang proyek-proyek megabesar yang mencaplok jutaan hektar lahan, laporan-laporan jurnalistik, termasuk dari Tabloid Jubi sendiri, penelitian akademik, maupun dari dokumen-dokumen pemerintah Indonesia.
Kota Jayapura di masa pendudukan Belanda, tahun 1951 – IST
Periode Belanda
Kami memulai studi dari masa sebelum penjajahan ketika semua tanah menjadi milik orang Papua melalui sistem kepemilikan kolektif seperti suku-suku dan marga-marga (kèret). Situasi dan pola kepemilikan seperti ini sedikit berubah ketika misi Kristen dan pemerintah Belanda datang dan menguasai Tanah Papua. Seperti yang digambarkan di infografis, misionaris Kristen datang untuk pertama kali ke Papua. Mereka ‘membeli’ tanah dari orang Papua dengan cara barter. Mungkin inilah momen pertama tanah menjadi komoditas (barang dagangan) bagi orang Papua. Sama seperti yang dilakukan pemerintah kolonial Belanda yang mulai mendirikan pos di Manokwari pada tahun 1898. Pemerintah kolonial Belanda mendirikan pos pemerintahannya di atas tanah orang Papua yang ‘dibeli’ secara barter (dengan kapak, cermin, dan lain-lain). Setelah berkuasa, pemerintah menerapkan hukum agraria 1870 yang berlaku di wilayah jajahan (Hindia Belanda). Seluruh Tanah Papua diklaim sebagai wilayah Belanda dan tanah-tanah yang tidak dimiliki secara pribadi maupun kolektif oleh suku dan marga di Papua dianggap sebagai tanah negara.
Setelah proses pemetaan besar-besaran yang dilakukan oleh tentara Belanda dari tahun 1907 hingga 1920-an, Belanda memulai program kolonisasi di tahun 1930-an. Transmigran Eropa dari Belanda dan orang Indo-Belanda dari Jawa didatangkan. Perkebunan-perkebunan kolonial mulai dibuka di Merauke, Manokwari, dan Jayapura dengan melibatkan investor transnasional. Pada tahun 1932, pemerintah Belanda menyewakan 6000 hektar tanah Papua ke perusahaan perkebunan Jepang Nanyo Kohatsu Kaisha. Konsesi mereka terletak di pantai utara Tanah Papua, dari Jayapura hingga Sarmi. Pada tahun 1937 perusahaan karet Negumij (Nederlandse Maatschappij voor Nieuw-Guinea) membuka kebun di dekat Jayapura. Di Ransiki dekat Manokwari, Negumij juga memegang konsesi perkebunan seluas 1000 hektar (Penders 2009).
Kompleks perumaha perusahaan minyak NNGPM (Nederlandsche Nieuw-Guinea Petroleum Maatschappij) – IST
Namun konsesi raksasa terbesar yang diberikan oleh Belanda ke investor asing adalah konsesi tambang ke perusahaan minyak NNGPM (Nederlandsche Nieuw-Guinea Petroleum Maatschappij) yang mulai beroperasi di Sorong pada tahun 1935. NNGPM adalah sebuah perusahaan minyak internasional dengan saham yang dimiliki oleh Kelompok Shell dari Belanda, melalui cabangnya bernama BPM (40%) dan dua perusahaan minyak Amerika milik keluarga Rockefeller. Standard Vacuum Oil Co. memegang 40% saham and Far Pacific Investments yang dimiliki Standard Oil of California memegang 20% saham. Luas konsesi NNGPM waktu itu mencapai 10 juta hektar yang meliputi daerah dari Kepala Burung hingga Mimika.
Periode Indonesia
Ketika Indonesia datang dengan bala tentaranya dari akhir tahun 1961, banyak aset tanah dan bangunan milik Belanda beralih ke Indonesia. Dan sejak pengalihan resmi wilayah Papua dari Belanda ke PBB (melalui UNTEA) kemudian ke Indonesia, hukum Indonesia termasuk hukum agraria mulai diberlakukan di Tanah Papua. Sama dengan Belanda, Indonesia melakukan program kolonisasi besar-besaran. Selain dengan serangan militer, pada tahun 1964 pemerintahan Sukarno memulai program transmigrasi di Papua. Program transmigrasi di Papua bertujuan bukan hanya untuk mengurangi kepadatan penduduk di Jawa atau pulau-pulau padat lainnya, melainkan lebih untuk menjaga klaim territorial mereka atas Tanah Papua. Hingga tahun 1993, Bank Dunia melaporkan bahwa 49,267 keluarga transmigran Indonesia (sekitar 272 ribu orang) telah menetap di Tanah Papua. Menurut pemerintah, jumlah transmigran diperkirakan 137 ribu keluarga. Tidak ada data pasti mengenai jumlah transmigran ini karena setiap kantor, baik pemerintah maupun kantor pendana asing (seperti Bank Dunia) memiliki data mereka sendiri, tapi juga karena sensitifnya isu transmigrasi di Papua. Ketidakpastian data ini juga kami pikir untuk menutupi dampak negatif yang sangat besar yang diakibatkan oleh program ini. Salah satu data yang sangat sulit didapatkan adalah jumlah transmigran spontan dari Indonesia yang sudah masuk ke Papua. Berbagai sumber (Aditjondro 1986 dan Osborne 1985) memperkirakan bahwa pada tahun 1990-an, transmigran spontan sudah akan mencapai 500 ribu orang, atau lebih dari separuh penduduk asli Papua. Dengan kata lain, orang Papua sudah menjadi minoritas di tanahnya sendiri. Namun dampak yang paling parah dari program ini adalah pencaplokan lahan milik orang Papua untuk tanah transmigrasi maupun perkebunan. Untuk transmigrasi resmi, pemerintah Indonesia memberikan jatah tanah sekitar 2 hektar per keluarga. Dengan dasar ini, tanah orang asli Papua yang diambil untuk program transmigrasi berkisar antara 100 ribu hingga 300 ribu hektar atau sekitar 10 hingga 30 kali luas kota Paris. Ini merupakan angka yang sangat mengerikan.
Kawasan pemukiman transmigrasi di Papua berkembang sangat pesat – IST
Belum lagi kalau kita melihat proses pencaplokan lahan yang lebih intensif melalui industri ekstraktif seperti pertambangan. Pada tahun 1967, dua tahun sebelum Penentuan Pendapat Rakyat, Indonesia mulai bekerjasama dengan Freeport McMoRan, perusahaan tambang Amerika Serikat untuk mengambil tembaga dan emas dari tanah milik orang Amungme. Berdasarkan kontrak karya pertama Freeport, tanah orang Papua yang diambil untuk proyek ini mencapai 101.171 ha. Luas ini meningkat 30 kali lipat pada tahun 1994. Dengan “penemuan” Grasberg dan penandatanganan kontrak karya kedua pada tahun 1991 dan 1994, Freeport memiliki konsesi seluas 3.642.171 hektar. Selain Freeport, Pemerintah Indonesia juga memberikan konsesi kepada berbagai perusahaan tambang nasional dan multinasional. Hingga tahun 2016, Yayasan Pusaka melaporkan bahwa 9.110.793 hektar tanah ulayat orang asli Papua atau 22% dari luas wilayah total Tanah Papua telah dikuasai tambang, termasuk konsesi-konsesi baru yang mengambil wilayah perairan, seperti tambang minyak British Petroleum (BP). Pada tahun 1997, Pemerintah Indonesia memberikan konsesi seluas 3.466 hektar ke British Petroleum (BP) untuk beroperasi di Teluk Bintuni. Meski tanah yang diambil sedikit, namun dampak operasi BP ini akan mencapai lebih dari 300 ribu hutan bakau di sekitarnya.
Seperti pada masa Belanda, sektor perkebunan juga mengakibatkan pencaplokan lahan besar-besaran. Perkebunan kelapa sawit mulai beroperasi di Tanah Papua pada tahun 1980. Hingga tahun 2017, perkebunan kelapa sawit di Tanah Papua diperkirakan telah mencapai 1.015.609,2 ha atau 15 kali luas kota Jakarta. Pembukaan perkebunan kelapa sawit juga bersamaan dengan komodifikasi hutan Papua melalui program HPH (hak pengusahaan hutan) dan HTI (hutan tanaman industri). Meski pembalakan liar sudah dilakukan jauh-jauh hari, pembalakan melalui program HPH dan HTI dimulai pada tahun 1984. Hingga tahun 2007, 14 juta hektar hutan Papua telah diberikan kepada perusahaan kayu melalui HPH dan HTI. Luas ini setara dengan sepertiga dari seluruh luas Tanah Papua.
Pada tahun 1998, Indonesia mengalami krisis ekonomi dan politik yang berakhir dengan turunnya Soeharto sebagai presiden. Reformasi pun mulai terjadi. Di antara orang Papua, momen reformasi memungkinkan konsolidasi gerakan perlawanan rakyat Papua untuk dekolonisasi. Namun Pemerintah Indonesia mengatasinya dengan memberikan otonomi khusus untuk provinsi Papua. Meski Otonomi Khusus bertujuan untuk memberikan kebebasan yang lebih besar bagi orang Papua, pada prakteknya otonomi ini tidak terlaksana, terutama dalam bidang pertanahan dan sumber daya alam. Pemerintah Indonesia terus-menerus mengeksploitasi sumber daya alam Papua, misalnya dengan proyek-proyek perkebunan, pertambangan dan infrastruktur. Pada tahun 2011, pemerintah meluncurkan proyek Merauke Integrated Food and Energy Estate (MIFEE) setelah tertunda dan diprotes selama bertahun-tahun. Proyek MIFEE ini diperkirakan telah dan akan mengambil lahan orang asli Papua seluas 2,5 juta ha.
Peta kawasan MIFEE di Merauke – IST
Pemekaran dan pembangunan infrastruktur juga mengambil tanah-tanah orang asli, misalnya, pembangunan jalan, kantor-kantor pemerintah, dan instalasi militer. Pada tahun 2015, masyarakat Papua memprotes pembangunan markas Kodam XVIII/Kasuari di Manokwari yang memakan lahan seluas 24,7 ha. Belum lagi protes serupa yang terjadi di Wamena untuk program pembangunan markas Brimob atau di Biak untuk pangkalan militer.
TORA: model pencaplokan terbaru
Pada tahun 2016, pemerintahan Joko Widodo memperkenalkan program reforma agraria. Program ini bertujuan untuk mengatasi ketimpangan kepemilikan lahan dan persoalan kemiskinan di Indonesia. Melalui program ini, Jokowi menerbitkan sebuah kebijakan bernama TORA (tanah objek reforma agraria). TORA adalah kawasan hutan dan tanah negara yang dianggap ‘tanah terlantar’ dan akan dilepaskan untuk hak kepemilikan (sertifikasi). Namun, kebijakan ini juga menetapkan bahwa 20% dari area pelepasan melalui TORA akan digunakan untuk perkebunan. Di Tanah Papua, bukannya menyasar tanah terlantar, program reforma agraria justru menyasar hutan primer. Hingga saat ini, luas hutan Papua yang SK pelepasannya sudah keluar melalui TORA mencapai 1.124.975,35 hektar. Artinya, TORA dan program reforma agraria bukannya mengatasi kemiskinan di Papua, justru memperparah kemiskinan penduduk asli. Program ini juga berarti formalisasi program pencaplokan hutan rakyat. Sejak program ini diluncurkan, Papua juga melihat peningkatan jumlah perusahaan kelapa sawit dan tebu yang mendapat konsesi di Papua, yaitu 48 perusahaan. TORA di Papua juga mengembalikan program transmigrasi yang sempat dihentikan sejarak reformasi. Hingga tahun ini, pemerintah telah melepaskan tanah seluas 84.554,51 hektar untuk program transmigrasi baru.
Hutan Papua – Dok. Jubi
Dari tinjauan jangka panjang sejarah penguasaan tanah ini kelihatan bahwa kendati orang Papua melawan, penguasaan baik dengan cara persuasi maupun paksaan terus terjadi hingga saat ini. Bahkan ada model-model penguasaan baru yang lebih massif, seperti TORA dan MIFEE. Pertanyaannya, dapatkah orang Papua di masa kini maupun masa depan mempertahankan diri dan hidup mereka di bidang kebudayaan, politik dan ekonomi tanpa mempertahankan tanah? (*)
Dr. Veronika Kusumaryati adalah antropolog dan pengajar di Harvard University.
Pacific Islands Association of Non-governmental Organisations (PIANGO) executive director Emele Duituturaga. Picture: SUPPLIED/PIANGO
THE Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (PIANGO) has praised the decision of the traditional elders of the Pacific island of Futuna for disallowing any work related to seabed mining in their waters.
The traditional kingdoms on Futuna had stated that their decision, expressed at a meeting in Futuna with French delegates sent to explain the potential of mining rare earths, was final and that any discussion about land matters had to be held with the customary leadership and not with the assembly of Wallis and Futuna.
And PIANGO executive director Emele Duituturaga said they stood with other regional NGOs and Pacific churches in the continued call for a ban on seabed mining.
“We have not seen income from terrestrial mining improve the lives of Pacific peoples and we doubt very much this will be the case for seabed mining,” Ms Duituturaga said.
She added it was still unclear what level of income governments will receive – “let alone communities”.
Ms Duituturaga said the changing climate leading to warming of the ocean was already having an impact on fisheries and ocean livelihoods in the region.
She said that evidence showed some local fishing practices and land uses were also damaging the health of local food supplies on the coasts and inland, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the health and integrity of those sources, especially after a disaster and resource extraction.
She added they often could not afford to buy food and water from other sources and the threat seabed mining posed on the surrounding environment would further compound this.
“There is little consideration for what will happen and what kind of remedies are available if planned exploration/ exploitation severely disrupts the environment. The ocean is a global commons. It belongs to us all; and we are all affected by changes in it.”
Ms Duituturaga commended the traditional leaders for making such a bold decision in the interests of their people.
She said PIANGO urged Pacific island governments to be responsible on this issue and not make hasty decisions.
“We are insistent that independent social and environmental studies are conducted.
“We are concerned that biodiversity and life under the sea will be destroyed and these minerals that have taken thousands of years to deposit will be extracted without replenishment.
“There is no evidence to assure us that that seabed mining is not harmful and not disruptive to livelihoods from the surrounding oceans.”
A painting of the Kanak people by artist and photographer Sebastien Lebegue that is exhibited at the Alliance Française de Suva. Picture: VILIMAINA NAQELEVUKI
THE COUTUME Kanak (Kanak Custom) exhibition is an introduction talking mainly about territory, social structure and what the society is for the indigenous people of New Caledonia.
This was highlighted by Artist and Photographer Sebastien Lebegue in an interview with this newspaper today.
Lebegue has worked on these pieces for the past five years.
“We continue with the gestures on how to enter into a clan because the connection is mainly about the relationship between two clans, they have some ceremonies to unite or make alliances,” Lebegme said.
He said the uniqueness of the pieces lay within the portraits itself, where the Kanak people had shared their stories with him.
“One more installation is about the people, people in New Caledonia I could meet, they give me their own testimonies of what is Kanak customs so the portraits have some acrylic and they represent the people. This is just a few potraits, normally there is about 105 potraits painted,” he said.
Lebegue acknowledged the Alliance Française de Suva for giving him the opportunity to display his work in Fiji.
“I am very glad that Alliance Française proposed to have the exhibition here in Fiji because Kanaks are Melanesian and so some of their customs are very similar to Fiji and to show it here is a really big privilege.”
Cultural director for Alliance Française de Suva Charlotte Tassel said they were really intrigued with the fact that Lebegue was studying about the Kanak people.
“His approach is very interesting, he draws very well. He takes a step back and he is just showing the pieces as it is and we thought it would be very interesting to connect it with the Fijian culture to show this Kanak culture to the Fijian people here because there is a lot of similarities,” Ms Tassel said.
The exhibition will be held from September 20 and ends on October 5, 2018, at the Oceania Centre at USP.
Fiji PM Voreqe Bainimarama presents a gift to the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés. Picrture: SUPPLIED
FIJI has been invited by the United Nations to work closely with them to shape next year’s UN Climate Summit convening on September 17 in 2019.
Fiji’s global leadership on climate change and oceans was praised by the president of the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, at a meeting in in New York with Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
Mr Bainimarama met Ms Garcés to talk about a range of issues, including the need for closer collaboration between Fiji and the UNGA to make the UN more relevant to Fijian communities, families and ordinary citizens.
The Fijian PM outlined his priorities for the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly and conveyed his full support towards Ms Garcés in her leadership of the session.
Ms Garcés also commended Mr Bainimarama on his efforts on gender parity in the military and peacekeeping operations.
While in New York, the Prime Minister will take part in a number of high-level bilateral meetings with other global leaders, including other heads of Government, and make statements in a series of forums that address the pressing issues facing Fiji.
Mr Bainimarama will deliver Fiji’s national statement at the United National General Assembly on Friday September 28, 2018.
The 73rd UNGA will open on Tuesday, September 25, and come to a close on Friday, October 5
The Ministry of Waterways and Environment is considering the use of vetiver grass system to stabilise riverbanks and reduce soil erosion. Picture: FT FILE
FIJI’S Ministry of Waterways and Environment will soon implement an internationally-proven methodology to combat riverbank erosion around the country.
Unsustainable land management activities have led to the prevalence of land erosion along river banks.
According to the permanent secretary for the Ministry of Local Government and Environment, Joshua Wycliffe, the vetiver system for river bank stabilisation and sustainable management of land and water was an integrated approach to use green technologies for riverbank stabilisation, coastal and environmental protection.
Through the system, he said riverbank erosion could be reduced by nearly eight to 10 times if the vetiver grass system was utilised.
“This system can also reduce impacts of contaminated water and improve its quality (through trapping debris, toxic chemicals, sediments, and particles),” Mr Wycliffe said.
“The ministry has thus considered using this grass system to stabilise our riverbanks and reduce soil erosion. This would strengthen our resilience to river bank erosion, catchment erosion, and mitigating flood impacts.”
The program will commence in Tailevu and Nadi soon.
Speaker Dr Jiko Luveni with other invited Speakers at the forum. Picture: SUPPLIED
FIJI, like many Pacific islands, faced the threat of several challenges that made it vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters.
This was highlighted by Fiji’s Speaker of Parliament Dr Jiko Luveni during the Second Eurasian Women’s Forum that was held in major convention centres and cultural venues in the historical centre of St. Petersburg, Russia, from September 19-21.
Dr Luveni was invited to attend the forum by the Federation Council Speaker, Valentina Matviyenko, which was organised by the Federation Council and the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Independent States (CIS), with support from several ministries, agencies and NGOs.
In her opening address, Dr Luveni said the effect of climate change disproportionately affected women and girls in Fiji.
She said women needed to have full political, economic and social participation that would ensure the notion of leaving no one behind towards Fiji’s pursuit for sustainable development.
She adds every nation should have a national plan to effectively address women’s issues.
