Jakarta – Two pulp and paper companies denied allegations human rights violations recently occurred at their forestry concession areas in Riau.
Nurkholis, a National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) member, said the commission was currently investigating an incident early June between community members and security officers from a forestry company in Riau.
He said the commission interviewed nine witnesses on June 12 as part of its investigation into the unusual deaths of three villagers in Rokan Hulu regency, Riau.
Nurkholis was speaking during a media briefing held by Greenpeace Southeast Asia on June 15. Also attending the briefing was Bustar Maitar from Greenpeace.
Bustar claimed the Rokan Hulu area was part of the concession area of the Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL).
"The corpses were found several days after their deaths. It is suspected they died of unnatural causes. Several other villagers were hospitalized. We have witnesses and proof police and APRIL security guards hit villagers using sticks embedded with nails."
On Wednesday, Ketut P. Wirabudi, corporate affairs director of APRIL, said the recent conflict between villagers and a private tree plantation over disputed land in Rokan Hulu regency "has raised serious concerns among various sectors of society, including PT Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (RAPP)".
He added APRIL, which operates in Indonesia through RAPP, has no subsidiary.
Meanwhile, Nandik Sufaryono, RAPP's media relations manager, said in a statement dated June 9 "RAPP wishes to clarify that PT Sumatera Silva Lestari is not a RAPP subsidiary, but a company that supplies pulpwood to RAPP".
Another tragic incident happened in December at the forest concession area of PT Arara Abadi (AA), a subsidiary of Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) under the Sinar Mas group.
Bustar alleged police and Sinar Mas security guards burned the Suluk Bongkal village, which led to the death of one child. He said the incident had also caused the arrest of 70 villagers, who remain detained.
APP's official statement said the incident on Dec. 18, 2008 involved the Riau Farmers Union (STR), which had been trying to illegally claim lands in Arara Abadi concessions.
Aida Greenbury, director of sustainability & stakeholder engagement of APP Indonesia, said Arara Abadi supplied fibre to APP.
"APP and its pulpwood supplier respect the rights of the local people, indigenous or not, according to the national law and regulations." (iwp)