The damage caused by the Indonesian palm oil company Astra Agro Lestari (AAL) to forests, people, and the environment is even greater than previously believed. This is revealed by new research. Unilever and pension fund ABP have ties with this company.
Palm oil company AAL also breaks more regulations than we were aware of. Despite this, Unilever continues to purchase palm oil from AAL, and ABP continues to invest in the company.
Key findings:
- AAL has illegal palm oil plantations in Indonesia's forests;
- the company continues to intimidate those who protect their land and forests;
- AAL operates in multiple instances without the necessary permits.
Restore the Forest
The report, produced by WALHI (Friends of the Earth Indonesia), Friends of the Earth US, and Milieudefensie, highlights the recent surge in deforestation for palm oil plantations in Indonesia over the past 2 years, following a 9 year period of decline.
Each year, nearly 300,000 hectares of forest are still being destroyed in Indonesia. In Sulawesi, people are demanding the return of their land, which was seized for palm oil plantations. They also call for the restoration of the forest and the environment.
Cut All Ties with AAL
We urge the customers and financiers of AAL to cut all ties with the company. We also call on the Indonesian government to stop the expansion of large palm oil plantations and to promote community-based forest management instead. Local communities can manage the forests to generate their own income and support a strong local economy.
Photo: People in Sulawesi are demanding the return of their land taken for palm oil plantations. © Friends of the Earth US.
Read the report.
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AAL_CultivatingConflict_Eng_final.pdf
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