January 28, 2026 | 05:04 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Paulus Kemi was at a loss for words. His face was blank. Now and then, the 47-year-old man shook his head. His gaze drifted toward the yard in front of his home in Subur village, Subur District, Boven Digoel Regency, South Papua. Across from him, a village road cut through the settlement, connecting to the Digul River that stretched along the western edge.
"So the information from Aiwat was true. How can the state act so arbitrarily?" said Paulus, the Head of Subur Village, on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.
Subur lies about 90 kilometers south of Tanah Merah, the administrative center of Boven Digoel. Aiwat, which Paulus referred to, is a neighboring village to the north.
Not long ago, two men carrying surveying equipment arrived in Aiwat. To residents, the uninvited guests claimed they did not work for a private company but "for Jakarta."
"They said there would be a port and plantation development," said Yosep Arteka, an Aiwat resident whom Tempo met at Subur's pier. "They also said that if the community agreed, the President would come to cut the ribbon."
When Oil Palms Become Trees
5 hari lalu
The KBBI adopts a new word to define lowercase letters. More serious is the change of definition of the oil palm from a plant to a tree.
Managing Forests Without Restoring
6 hari lalu
A total of 4.09 million hectares of oil palm plantations inside forest areas was brought under control in 2025.
Chaos Over the Confiscation of Plantations in Forest Areas
6 hari lalu
Prabowo asked Forest Area Enforcement Task Force to take over 5 million hectares forest land in 2026. Last year's enforcement still ran into problems.
Papua Lawmaker Rejects Prabowo's Palm Oil Plan, Military Projects
13 hari lalu
Southwest Papua DPD member expressed his disapproval of Indonesian President Prabowo's plan to encourage oil palm plantations in Papua.
Governor Dedi Mulyadi Bans New Oil Palm Plantations in West Java
27 hari lalu
He also ordered the gradual replacement of existing oil palm crops with other commodities better suited to the region's environmental conditions.
Waking up After Disaster Strikes
36 hari lalu
Parts of Sumatra were hit by floods resulting from the arbitrary granting of permits to clear forests. Now Papua is under threat.
Greenpeace Warns Prabowo's Papua Plan Risks Ecological Disaster
41 hari lalu
Greenpeace Indonesia criticizes President Prabowo's directive to the local authorities in Papua regarding massive planting of oil palm.
Prabowo Urges Oil Palm Planting in Papua for Biofuel
42 hari lalu
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto urges the planting of oil palms in Papua to produce alternative fuel as a substitute for fossil fuel.
Prabowo Pushes for Oil Palm Cultivation in Papua to Boost Alternative Fuel
42 hari lalu
In addition to oil palm, Prabowo is also promoting the cultivation of sugarcane and cassava to produce ethanol.
Indonesia's PLN EPI to Build 5 Biomass Plants with Poland-Based Company G7
11 Oktober 2025
Indonesia has the potential for approximately 130 million tons of biomass per year, but only a small portion is utilized.
