Oxfam GB in Indonesia In Action

On Wednesday, 25 June 2008, Oxfam launched a briefing paper on biofuels, It said biofuels for developing countries may provide genuine development opportunities, but the potential social, economic and environmental costs are severe.

Looking at Indonesia condition today, one of media online, Asian News stated that biofuel to increase poverty in Timorese. The media stated that the government of East Timor has come under fire its decision to turn over 100,000 hectares or a sixth of the country’s arable land to US$ 100 million ethanol project by an Indonesia company, GTLeste Biotech.  While for print media, The Jakarta post wrote that biofuel may have a fatal implication if we not proceed with caution.

To view the report issued by Oxfam, just click the link here: “Another Inconvenient Truth”

Indonesia’s biofuel development have now moved in a directions not only offering economic opportunity but also adverse effect to the poor. Therefore Oxfam together with Yayasan Kehati (Kehati Foundation) and Sawit Watch held a journalist class on biofuel with the objective to increase awareness of local journalist of both opportunity and negative impact of biofuel especially surrounding palm oil issues and to get general feedback and interest from media on spotlighting Indonesia’s biofuel development and its social impact and also as preliminary information prior to Biofuel Paper Launch on 25 June 2006. 

Below is the snapshot of the event. Just click the link below to view the video. 

Case study from Indonesia by Olenka Priyadarsani, Communication Officer of Oxfam Aceh-Nias

About two weeks ago there was an article in the newspaper about an expectant woman killed herself after murdering her two children using poison. This happened in Deli Serdang, Northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The suspected motive was economic condition in the family due to price hikes.

Food prices also affect the people of Java Island, the most populated island in the country. In Bogor, West Java, some landless farmers testified about the current living condition due to hikes in food prices.

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By Josephine Imelda and Cynthia Dewi Maharani

“How can I feed myself and my family?” 

This evening, I had a chance to meet Mrs. Suri in Tunda Island. She is an old widow who is now sharing a house with her youngest daughter Saidah - along with her son in law and grand son.             

 It is not much more to pursue at her age. All 7 children she had already  have their own family and all live in Tunda Island. If there is any wish list, she will definitely write that she would like to be able to buy food for the family.

Her son in law is a fisherman with uncertain income. When the sea is good, he can bring at least Rp 50,000,-  in a day, but if it does not, he might earn nothing. Mrs. Suri helps the family earning some more money. Everyday she went to the forest in northern tip of island and collect some logs. “At least I can use the logs for cooking, so we don’t need to buy kerosene.”

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