Save Our Borneo (SOB) is an organization that fights the palm oil industry's illegal activities. "I want to conserve Borneo's rainforests for us and our children - says its head, Nordin - The conversion of forest into palm oil plantations is shattering our country."
Nordin has already achieved a number of important successes: In 2011 the police started to investigate against ten illegally clearing palm oil companies due to the data he collected. Moreover, the constitutional court decided that thousands of hectares of palm oil plantations violate the constitution, as natives and peasants were cast out to make way for them.
On March 23rd 2012 the residents of the village Tumbang Kalang in the province of Central Kalimantan call Nordins attention to a huge environmental crime. 7,000 hectares of dense virgin forest have been cut down, profitable oil palms have been planted on half of this area. One thousand people have lost their forest with its natural rubber and fruit trees. The soils and waters have been contaminated.
The corporation responsible is palm oil giant IOI – a supplier for Nestlé, Unilever and traffic fuels producer Neste Oil. All three companies publicly pride themselves for their efforts in "sustainability". In a letter from 2008 held by Nordin, the ministry of forestry revoked a former clearance licence. Now Nordin is preparing to file a case – and the wind is in his sails. The local government is now officially asking IOI to leave. However, to prevent more damage elsewhere, the palm oil Mafia's profit stream has to be cut off. RainforestRescue is now asking to call on Nestlé, Unilever and Neste Oil not to buy any more palm oil from IOI.