This information is new to me.
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 21:36:46 +1000
To: sangkancil@malaysia.net
From: Bala Pillai <bala@malaysia.net>
Subject: [sangkancil] Many forests set on fire over land disputes (ST fw)
Reply-to: Bala Pillai <bala@malaysia.net>
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**forwarded message**
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 04:19:46 -0400
Reply-To: Southeast Asia Discussion List <SEASIA-L@MSU.EDU>
Sender: Southeast Asia Discussion List <SEASIA-L@MSU.EDU>
From: Alex G Bardsley <bardsley@ACCESS.DIGEX.NET>
Subject: Fwd: IN: Many forests set on fire over land disputes
(StraitsTimes)
X-URL: http://straitstimes.asia1.com/pages/stsea7.html
[1][LINK] OCT 23 1997
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Many forests set on fire over land disputes, says research centre
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JAKARTA -- Many of the forest fires ravaging Indonesia are being
used as a weapon in disputes over land rights between big companies
and local farmers, according to a report published here on Tuesday.
The report by the International Centre for Research in
Agroforestry, based in Bogor near Jakarta, said many of the blazes
had been "deliberately started as a weapon in social conflict".
"At the heart of this problem are conflicts over land, resulting
from unclear and insecure property rights and land-allocation
policies that take too little account of established -- albeit
informal -- local claims," said the report. It was compiled
following the Alternative to Slash-and-Burn Programme launched by
scientists from 15 countries after the last major Indonesian forest
fires in 1994. The group carries out three programmes in west
Africa, South-east Asia and Latin America.
"Millions of people live in the forestland areas but because they
have no security of tenure, they can be evicted at any time to make
way for development projects," the study said.
"Large companies had been known to burn land to drive out
smallholders. Smallholders have been known to burn trees
established by large companies to retaliate against perceived
injustice. In these conflicts, fire is a powerful weapon for both
planters and farmers.
"Aside from contributing to social conflict, 'land grabs' by large
companies that displace local people also undermine incentives at
the community level to prevent, report and fight fires," it added.
-- AFP.
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Copyright © 1997 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.
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