JAKARTA — Jaringan Advokasi Tanah Adat (JAGAD) has urged the central government, particularly the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) through its Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement Directorate (GAKKUM LHK), to immediately take firm action against PT Nusa Padma Corporation, a logging company operating in South Buru Regency, Maluku Province.
The call followed the forced suspension of PT Nusa Padma’s logging activities by Indigenous communities in South Buru on 11 December 2025, carried out as a form of resistance against the company’s alleged ongoing environmental destruction.
According to JAGAD, the action by Indigenous communities was a response to strong indications of forest destruction, mangrove damage, and degradation of coastal areas, which directly threaten living space, livelihoods, and the long-term sustainability of Indigenous peoples in South Buru.
JAGAD Chairperson Feronika Nurlatu Latbual (FNL) emphasized that the operations of PT Nusa Padma Corporation have caused serious unrest, not only among Indigenous communities but also at the local government level.
“Despite strong indications of legal and environmental violations, PT Nusa Padma has continued its operations. This situation has triggered open conflict with Indigenous communities,” Feronika said.
Multiple Layers of Alleged Violations
JAGAD believes that PT Nusa Padma Corporation is strongly indicated to have violated a number of legal provisions, ranging from environmental permits to Indigenous peoples’ rights.
First, violations of environmental permits (AMDAL/UKL-UPL). The construction of log ponds and logging operations are alleged to have been carried out without valid environmental permits. This indicates a disregard for fundamental environmental protection obligations.
“Without an AMDAL or UKL-UPL, the company operates without measuring the risks of ecological damage. Legally, such practices can be categorized as environmental crimes,” Feronika asserted.
Second, alleged forestry violations (illegal logging). Indications of timber harvesting, transportation, and stockpiling without clear legal authorization point to strong suspicions of illegal logging practices.
According to JAGAD, these actions go beyond administrative violations and may constitute organized forestry crimes that deprive communities of forests as a source of life and accelerate deforestation on Buru Island.
Third, destruction of coastal and mangrove areas. The construction of a log pond in the coastal and mangrove areas of Air Jin has the potential to damage vital ecosystems that function as natural barriers against coastal erosion and marine disasters. Mangrove destruction directly reduces fishers’ catches and increases the vulnerability of coastal communities to ecological disasters.
In addition, JAGAD considers PT Nusa Padma’s activities to be inconsistent with regional spatial planning (RDTR/RTRW), which designates the Air Jin coastal area as a protected or tourism zone.
“This demonstrates defiance of regional spatial planning policies and threatens the sustainability of areas that should be protected for the public interest,” Feronika said.
Fourth, alleged violations of Indigenous peoples’ rights. Feronika stressed that company operations carried out without Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) from Indigenous communities constitute a form of dispossession.
“Such actions ignore the constitutional rights of Indigenous peoples to their lands, forests, and natural resources, which form the basis of their livelihoods, culture, and identity,” she stated.
Spotlight on Weak Law Enforcement
The prolonged nature of these alleged violations, JAGAD said, reflects weak environmental oversight and law enforcement.
“Such inaction creates a dangerous precedent: corporations feel immune to the law, while Indigenous communities bear long-term ecological and social impacts,” Feronika said.
She warned that continued exploitation of natural resources in Indigenous forest and coastal areas could result in permanent ecological damage if not immediately halted.
“The state must not wait until the damage becomes irreversible. If this practice continues, the impacts will not only be felt today but will be passed down across generations,” she stressed.
JAGAD’s Six Demands
On this basis, JAGAD announced that it will approach the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Environment, and GAKKUM LHK of the Republic of Indonesia to submit six key demands:
1. Immediately halt all activities of PT Nusa Padma, including log pond operations, logging, and any activities with the potential to damage forests, mangroves, and coastal areas.
2. Conduct a comprehensive and transparent audit of all PT Nusa Padma permits and documents by KLHK, the Ministry of Forestry, the House of Representatives (DPR RI), and the National Police Headquarters, including AMDAL/UKL-UPL, concession permits, work plans, and fiscal obligations.
3. Require full corporate responsibility for the restoration of damaged mangrove and coastal ecosystems, with oversight by Indigenous communities and independent institutions.
4. Enforce the law firmly and without compromise against alleged environmental, forestry, and spatial planning crimes, through both administrative and criminal sanctions.
5. Ensure full transparency of all company activities and documents to the public.
6. Fully involve Indigenous communities in all decision-making processes, monitoring, and environmental restoration efforts.
Feronika warned that if the state continues to remain silent, customary territories, water sources, smallholder plantations, and fisheries in South Buru risk systemic damage, as has occurred in many other regions due to unchecked extractive industries.
“PT Nusa Padma must not be allowed to damage the forests and coastal areas of South Buru. The state must be present, enforce the law, and ensure the company is held legally and socially accountable,” she stressed.
In closing, JAGAD urged GAKKUM KLHK, the DPR RI, and the Police to immediately process and prosecute those responsible for the alleged environmental crimes in order to protect the living space of Indigenous peoples in South Buru.
Legal Basis
Legally, JAGAD argues that the activities of PT Nusa Padma Corporation are suspected of violating several prevailing laws and regulations, including Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management (particularly Articles 36, 69, and 98–109 concerning environmental permits and environmental crimes), Law No. 41 of 1999 on Forestry in conjunction with Law No. 18 of 2013 on the Prevention and Eradication of Forest Destruction (related to logging and timber transportation without valid permits), Law No. 27 of 2007 in conjunction with Law No. 1 of 2014 on the Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands (related to the protection of mangroves and coastal areas), as well as regional RTRW/RDTR provisions.
Furthermore, the failure to obtain Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) potentially violates the principles of Indigenous peoples’ rights protection as guaranteed under Article 18B paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution and various Constitutional Court rulings concerning customary forests.
