Thirty Indonesian NGOs have sent a letter to twenty banks in China and Europe calling on them to divest from APRIL and its related companies. In 2015, after a long history of rainforest distraction and community rights abuses, APRIL announced a new commitment. Since then the company has failed at proper implementation. Its suppliers were caught several times violating Indonesian regulations, leading the government to recently suspend its working plan. After years of frustration and a lack of integrity by the company, the only two remaining NGOs have now left the APRIL sustainability advisory committee.
The organizations sending the letter are urging banks to support the Government of Indonesia as well as affected communities and ecosystems by not supporting APRIL and disengaging from any existing support to the company. They are also urging all buyers not to purchase from APRIL until it definitively stops all destructive practices, improves seriously its management practices, follows all relevant regulations, and remedy past and ongoing harm to communities and the environment.
A recent report from EPN showed that overall the policies of banks providing funding to the pulp and paper sector currently lack adequate social and environmental safeguards, leading to high risk.
The thirty Indonesian NGO’s are spread across provinces including Riau, Jambi, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Timur, Gorontalo, DKI Jakarta, West Java, East Kalimantan Timur and West Kalimantan. They include the organizations Jikalahari, Walhi Riau, Jaringan Masyarakat Gambut Riu (JMGR), Riau Wo man Working Group (RWWG), Riau Corruption Trial (RCT), Yayasan Mitra Insani (YMI), Perkumpulan Elang, Hakiki, Kaliptra Andalas, Eyes on the Forest (EoF), LBH Pekanbaru – YLBHI Walhi Jambi, Akar Foundation, Jaringan Masyarakat Gambut Sumatera, Jaringan Masyarakat Gambut Jambi (JMGJ),JMG Sumsel, Hutan Kita Institute (HaKI), Pinus, KSPPM, KKI Warsi, JAPESDA, Gorontalo – TuK, FWI, Sampan, PBHK, Walhi Kaltim, Link – AR Borneo, Yay. Titian Lestari, EoF jaringan Kalbar.
Read their letter to banks and buyers here.